Kurenai Kioku
by vegita-dias
Summary: After the events of Midori no Me, friends and family must regroup and get stronger. A clan must be overthrown, a wife must get her husband back and tame the monster within him. Along the way, there might just be love in the air between old companions and new friends.
1. Prologue

Well, here we are on part two of my crazy long saga. I'm posting this so anyone who wants to can add it to the notification list. I am going to put this series down for a bit to finish up another fic that I promised I would work on and to brainstorm a bit more. I know where I want to go, just need to make sure I get there in a way that works.

 **Some notes for those reading this fic:**

1) Don't worry about too much angst. I'm not a fan of taking a couple and putting them through so much that they are damaged forever. I am a firm believer in happy endings

2) I will try to avoid the "annoying fictional children" syndrome where everything is about their kids and you wonder where the heck the romance is. You are reading this for Kyo/Yuya and Kyo/Yuya you shall have

3) I been re-reading the manga and I'm still sticking to calling Akari "he". There is literally no one in the entire SDK universe that sees him as a female, he does have a super small (blink and you'd miss it) crush on Yuya and Santera has an equally small one on him, and he actually becomes more masculine in both mannerisms and art style as the series goes on. I believe this is keeping within context and it is not intended to be offensive but if it bothers you, you are within your rights to give this fic a pass. That said, if you don't have any hang-ups about gender, I think you'll find my portrayal of him fun. He is one of my favorite characters after all. ;-)

4) The name of this story means Crimson Memories which is a reference to Kyo's eye color, his memories (as well as those of others), and the Crimson King (past and present). It seemed appropriate.

5) I'm pretty sure that Kamijyo intended Ruru to be pronounced as Lulu (it's hard to explain but a Japanese "r" is pronounced like a cross between "l" and "r") but I kept the spelling just in case I was wrong.

6) Sit back and enjoy!

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Prologue**

"Kyo's wife is getting close to her time."

The softly spoken words were like music to his ears and the main reason why he had summoned her before him. But he frowned, disliking her acknowledgement of what that human female had meant to the Demon Child.

"Kindly refrain from assigning that title to her, Sakuya-San," he said mildly and she knew him well enough to know it was in her best interests to do as he commanded.

"How long until the child is born?" the tall man asked.

"Within the next few days. Sendai-Sama," the miko replied, keeping her body and mind as still as possible lest her thoughts betray the knowledge she had been holding back for the past few months.

She concentrated on nothing but a pleasant memory of fragrant cherry blossoms and warm morning sunshine, playing the scene over and over again until she actually started to relax - something she was usually incapable of doing when dealing with the king.

"It's a pity Fubuki's pupil was unable to stop Kyoshiro from taking the girl but I am not surprised. Kyoshiro _is_ my heir after all. All will be well though. Since Kyo has proven uncooperative in our attempts to breed another child, I am content to settle for a guaranteed one. It might be a half-breed but I can overlook the taint of human blood for the good of all."

Sakuya said nothing, merely waited for him to tire of her presence and leave. She knew exactly why Kyo would not – could not – work out but she wasn't about to dwell on it in front of a man who could read minds.

"You are so silent, my precious seer. Do my plans bother you? Would you perhaps like to try your hand at rousing the passions of my formerly wayward Demon Child? I know you felt something for him once upon a time."

Of course, he didn't really mean the part about her seducing Kyo - she was too valuable as a prophetess and had been too close to Kyo once to risk putting the two of them alone in the same room for any period of time. No, he merely sought to get a rise out of her, wanting to get a glimpse of her closely guarded thoughts.

She gave herself a silent pat on the back for betraying nothing as she replied, "That chapter of my life is long over, Sendai-Sama. Kyo already loves someone else and I will not interfere."

It was a mild jab, her backhanded way of rebelling by mentioning Kyo's feelings for Yuya after the Mibu had gone to such lengths to erase his wife from his life. However, the king made no comment as she finished, "I simply hope that the child will not come to any harm."

"You are such a kind thing," he said, running his hand idly over the top of her head. As always, he treated her like a beloved pet and peered at her intently over his outrageously thick glasses with crimson eyes that were far too similar to Kyo's.

He paused in his stroking of her hair when a knock sounded at his door and pushed her away as he told the person on the other side to enter. Sakuya was expecting either Fubuki or Hishigi to open the door but instead a small head, topped with red hair that was pinned to the side, popped in. Pink irises set above rosy cheeks darted from the king to her and back again as their owner debated whether or not to enter the room.

The seer stared in surprise at the girl and instinctively sought to put her at ease by flashing her a kind smile and saying, "Hello, how do you do?"

She suppressed a giggle when, instead of answering, the girl - who was somewhere between four and five - stepped into the room, closed the door behind her with a small bang, and ran over to hide behind the king's leg. Those pink eyes peered at her with a mixture of curiosity and mistrust and she wondered where she came from and why the king was looking at the child with an expression that she had never seen on his face. She was used to him either playing the fool or ordering her to do as he wished. The soft look on his face and in those penetrating eyes was something else entirely.

"Who is that, Sendai-Sama?" the girl asked, looking up at the king who knelt down to scoop her up in his arms.

"She is Sakuya, my one and only seer. She is very important to my plans, Ruru."

"Oh, what's a seer?"

"Someone who can tell me the future," he replied patiently.

"That's nice," Ruru responded with the calm acceptance of someone who had no idea what she was talking about, "Will you play with me, Sendai-Sama?"

"Not right now, Ruru. I have to send messengers out. Sakuya has just told me some very good news."

"Is something nice going to happen?"

"Yes. In fact, if all goes according to plan, you'll soon have a new playmate."

"Really?!" she beamed and bounced in place, forcing the king to tighten his hold to keep her from falling.

Seeing the fearsome Crimson King cradling a squirming child was surreal and Sakuya didn't know what to make of it. She knew he was dangerous and wicked - had confronted his darkness many times herself - and yet he could almost have passed for normal if he wasn't speaking of stealing Kyo's child away from its mother and giving it to Ruru to play with.

"Yes, really," Sendai-Sama nodded before continuing, "Now, I'm sure Sakuya is busy but if you are a good girl, you might get to spend more time with her. She really is a very lovely young woman."

Knowing when she had been dismissed, she bowed and left the king's study, briefly pausing to return the exuberant wave Ruru sent her way.

She didn't relax her guard until she was almost to her room and even then she wondered how things would pan out. The miko had diligently guarded the secret about Yuya having twins for a while now and she still worried that the Elders and king would figure out how she had sabotaged their dealings with Kyo.

Whatever the case, things were bound to be lively after a rough six months of waiting.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It started with dark clouds rolling in. Muramasa took note because it was unusual to have such a fierce storm in the spring and he knew in his gut that the day was going to be momentous.

Thunder followed the clouds and a cry echoed throughout the house. He'd been waiting months to hear that sound but his excitement was tempered by worry.

It was too soon.

The baby was supposed to come in the summer and Kyoshiro had not returned from the village yet.

He entered his home to find his daughter-in-law leaning against the wall and she looked up at him with worried eyes, shuffling away from the puddle beneath her feet.

"I've been feeling contractions all day long and it's gotten worse the last hour but I didn't think it would be this soon," she said as she wrung her hands.

He gave her a reassuring smile and said, "It might be a while yet. I've been around long enough to know that babies come when they want to."

She returned his smile with a wobbly one and allowed him to escort her to her room where he laid her down and checked how far along her labor was. Though she was nervous about not having a midwife, she reluctantly accepted the truth that inviting strangers to his remote home was unwise and knew that she could rely on both his thousands of years of experience in all aspects of life as well as his advanced knowledge of healing and the human body.

Aware of the fact that she was still a little uncomfortable with having a man involved in such a female-only practice as delivery, he did his best to soothe her as lightning flashed outside the window and he heard the first drops of rain.

 _'Please get here soon, Kyoshiro,'_ he thought as the drops turned into a downpour and, within the next two hours, her labor began in earnest.

Muramasa hadn't told her yet but, if his Satori was to be believed, he was certain that she was about to gift him with two grandchildren instead of one. Of course the babies were too young to form words but the separate minds he sensed had begun to broadcast their discomfort within the tight living space over the past few days. Thinking about it, he should have known that their arrival was imminent.

He helped her up after a while, walking with her up and down the hallways and comforting her as she breathed heavily, trying to find the key to manage her pain. The ancient man stroked her hair and told her that he was proud his son had chosen such a strong woman and that Kyo would be elated when he got a chance to see his child.

It was a mantra he had repeated to his daughter-in-law many times over the past months as he helped her to cope with her longing for Kyo. Pregnancy had brought with it a surge of feelings and she vacillated between sorrow at being apart from her spouse and burning anger at the people who had taken him away. Needless to say, there had been some phenomenal emotional typhoons raging in his house at times but he weathered them with his usual aplomb, knowing that she didn't always mean the words coming out of her mouth.

The hours slipped by and he began to check intermittently how dilated she was. By the time she moaned in pain, gripped his hand hard enough to break that of a normal human, and told him that she would die if she didn't push, the storm outside was in full swing and he could hear the wind howling through the trees outside.

The former Elder laid Yuya down and went to work, switching between praising her, instructing her, and watching her stomach muscles ripple as she bore down again and again until he could just see the top of a small head matted with blood. He wished he had someone else there to sop the sweat from her brow and hold her hand but Kyoshiro was still missing and he forced himself not to consider what could have delayed him.

With a cry of pain, Yuya pushed hard and he eased the first of her children into the world, smiling as he held the baby up and saw that he had a granddaughter with a tiny crop of reddish-blonde hair. She scrunched her little face up and let out a furious wail and he waited a few minutes before cutting the cord, wiping the child off, and swaddling it. He couldn't resist cradling the baby for another moment and felt tears gathering in the corners of his eyes at the beauty of the new life he held.

The sounds of Yuya moaning loudly snapped him out of his stupor and he frowned at the read he was getting off of his daughter-in-law. She shouldn't be in so much pain and yet she was thrashing from side to side and he felt his worry increase as a rush of blood gushed from between her legs.

"S...s...something is wrong," she slurred and he silently agreed, setting his granddaughter aside and kneeling over her again.

He checked her again and was dismayed to see no sign of the other child and when he gently pressed his hands against her womb, even that was enough to cause her to cry out. He could feel distress radiating from both Yuya and the second baby and he was about to guide his fingers inside to try and figure out what was wrong when a malicious presence teased the edges of his senses.

He froze and cold fingers gripped his heart as he turned in more closely and realized that there were a lot more enemies waiting outside this time than any previous visit by the Mibu. The low-level soldiers were not as worrying as the three particularly strong ki's he felt, though. Whoever was coming was on par with Shinrei - it might even have been the man himself - and he was in no position to fight a prolonged battle with his family in such a precarious position and his health having deteriorated the way it had.

 _'We don't have time for this today,'_ he thought, panicking at their fantastically poor – or excellent, depending on how one looked at it – timing.

He looked from Yuya to the baby girl whimpering from her position on the floor next to her mother and made a quick decision. Scooping the child up, he mentally projected soothing thoughts and feelings to her and she calmed down almost immediately, latching onto the comfort that should have come from being held in her mother's arms. Exiting the room, he entered the adjoining one and opened a closet, placing the child down gently and using his ability to coax her into drowsiness before sliding the door closed. Heading to his room, he grabbed his sword then returned to Yuya.

A large ki inside the room where his daughter was struggling with her second child hastened his steps and he stopped in the doorway, staring in dismay at the two women standing over her dressed in nurses uniforms and radiating wicked intent. Yuya was pale and still but breathing and he surmised that she had passed out.

"Ugh, human woman are so ugly when they give birth," said the one with longer hair.

"Agreed," said the female with shorter hair.

"If the king hadn't commanded us to get the child, we could be home instead of running around in this nasty weather."

"Yes. I want to go home. Let's make this quick. It looks like she hasn't given birth yet," they said in unison and Muramasa gripped his sword tighter, intending to step into the room and remove them by force of he had to.

"That's not a good idea, Muramasa-San," a voice that he recognized said from behind him and he turned to see Shinrei leaning against the wall with his arms folded. It was testament to how frazzled he was that he hadn't noticed his entry.

"I'd rather not leave my daughter-in-law to the tender mercies of those two. I _know_ what they are capable of."

"Yes…you do," the younger man said, giving him a look with a wealth of meaning in it and he blinked as the young man opened the gates of his mind and he saw an image of Yuya being killed by the women the moment they had the child in hand.

The picture was gone as quickly as it came but it was enough for him to ascertain that the other man was not there to hurt his son's wife.

"Why did you come?" the ancient asked the Goyosei member suspiciously.

"We all have our roles to play and it was either me or Chinmei," he said simply and Muramasa shuddered at the thought of the insane warrior anywhere near his family.

Looking back into the room, he knew he was caught between a rock and a hard place and watched in silence as the women knelt down and examined Yuya, speaking in unison as they turned her this way and that.

"The baby is all tangled up in its cord."

"The girl has lost a lot of blood. Death is very likely if we do not intervene."

"She is of no concern. Only the child. Commencing operation."

They stuck their hands into Yuya's body and Muramasa observed closely as they operated in that bizarre way of theirs, presumably untangling the infant. Years seemed to pass in the following minutes before one set of hands pushed down on Yuya's womb while the other ones withdrew and moved downwards. With a loud cry and a gush of blood and fluids, Yuya's second child was brought into the world and caught by Saisei.

"Yuck, that's just nasty," both women said, pert little noses wrinkling in disgust and he took a step further into the room as they snipped the cord. His second grandchild was a boy with a head of black hair. He wailed loudly as the women wrapped him up and, once they were done, they stared at Yuya as if contemplating what to do with her.

"Do we have any use for her?" asked Saishi.

"Not really. But she has already bled out quite a bit. If we do nothing, she will likely die," Saisei said as she cradled the child.

"Yes. But I still hate the sight of her face. Maybe we should...," Saishi trailed off and held her hand up and Muramasa immediately drew his sword and stepped forward, allowing his killing intent to fill the room.

Though he favored calmness, peace, and serenity most times, he was willing to allow the darker side of his Mibu blood to come out and play if it served to protect his family. Sick he might be but he was still capable of obliterating them all in one fell swoop if need be and they knew it. He was _only_ holding back by virtue of their proximity to his daughter-in-law and grandchild.

Saishi took a step back and held her hands up as she said with a smile, "Ooh, you're pretty sexy for an old-timer. Now I know where Kyo gets that intensity from. Whatever, we have what we came for and the girl is probably going to die anyways."

She shrugged and backed away, throwing one delicate leg over the sill of Yuya's window to make her exit since they weren't about to risk going around Muramasa when he was ready to cut them down. Saisei kept her eyes trained on the former elder as she followed suit, holding the boy - who had quieted down a bit - close as she slipped out of the window as well.

Muramasa turned to look at Shinrei, noting the soft look on his normally stern face as he stared after the baby. The expression was quickly erased the moment the young man realized that he was being observed and he nodded to Muramasa in an uncharacteristic display of respect. The man had been ready to kill him last time.

"You are...different," the older man observed.

"Things change," Shinrei said but did not elaborate as he pivoted around to walk a few steps before pausing.

"I...will keep the child safe," he said softly and continued on his way, leaving behind a very confused Muramasa who wondered what had happened to the fanatical warrior from eight months prior.

His first urge was to follow them and retrieve his grandson but he held back, knowing that he was running out of time while Yuya hung on the cusp of life and death. He also had to grudgingly admit that the Mibu had not gone through the trouble of kidnapping the child only to kill it. Faced with the difficult choice of saving his daughter-in-law and tending to his granddaughter versus tracking down and fighting their enemies - rendering himself useless in the process once he was done and his illness rose up to cripple him - he chose the former.

Fighting a yawning sense of helplessness, he entered the room where Yuya lay and prayed that Shinrei would hold true to his word until he could go and retrieve his precious grandson.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Whew, that was fun to write. More good stuff coming up but It'll have to wait a bit until I catch up with my other fic since I tend to burn out when I write stories in tandem. Hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you think.


	2. Torrid Dreams and Precious Family

Soo, I was all gung-ho and planning to finish my other fic for another fandom before doing this one. I started reading over it and organizing my notes about it in OneNote...and then I hit a brick wall. Apparently, the days when I could mentally come up with material for two storylines at a time (because this sequel just will not leave my head) are dead and gone. I struggled for a week to squeeze something out and zero, zip, zilch, nada. I got nothing. Thus, here I am sooner than planned with the first official chapter of Kurenai Kioku with more to follow.

Now, aren't you glad you put it on alert? ;-)

 **Thanks to (including thanks for those who read the epilogue of Midori No Me): general zargon** (Thank you so much for catching my chapter mix-up and I'm glad you liked the beginning), Orihime-San, **Rinfantasy** (Thanks for your kind reviews and for sticking with my fic. Kyo will eventually meet his kids but the king will try to avoid it if he can.), **Kurohime-san** (Aww, I don't like things to be too dark. I prefer "light at the end of the tunnel" scenarios. Thanks again for the offer of help and you are fine to call me Lay), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Glad you enjoyed the fic and hope you enjoy the way I write Akari.), **ThunderxShadow** (Aww, Shinrei won't hurt the baby. The king would rather forget that Kyo had any sort of life apart from the Mibu. Considering what he wants from Kyo, Yuya would be a hindrance), **tangled6** , **lmamc, Jackson** (Thanks for reading. I'd never leave it at just that), **abattles2** (I'm super happy you liked the confession. I was trying to make it as believable as possible), **Meffisto** , **kyoandyuya** (Shihodou is fun to write. In this fic, I'm going to try and pair down the number of people traveling with Yuya. They'll be mentioned, just probably not as much since there is no need for introductions or establishing characters who have already come into the story. As for the names you picked, you're a little too late unfortunately but I still love them nonetheless), **emi21** (I'm so happy you enjoyed the fic and I agree the manga is underappreciated. I think it's because the anime was so terrible. I'm glad you liked the way I wrote Kyo and I really look forward to writing Akari, he's such a lovable mess.), **magicalnana** (I might take breaks from time to time but I'd never abandon a fic unless there was a _really_ good reason), **Harlett** (I'm almost 30 ;-) I'm glad you got a moment to read. I hope you enjoy up to the end. Also, thanks for the kind compliment. I'd love for Shinrei to find a woman but I have to think on it. I know Saisei kind of liked him but it wasn't going to happen due to her being subject to Saishi and technically dead), **joellesophya** (Glad you enjoyed the story and thank you so much for reading), **heaven's-myth, Jeanette, quivering quill, Leigh4** (They will get the child back eventually)

 **Japanese Note:** Jii-San is a respectful way of saying grandpa and Ji-Chan and Kaa-Chan are informal ways of saying uncle and mother respectively. Usually you would add an "O" to both to show honor but keep in mind that the words are being used by a small child and she wouldn't necessarily find it easy to add the prefix.

 **Author's Note:** Kyo and Yuya's daughter is named Aiko which literally means "love child". I picked it for obvious reasons. ;-)

Also, still dodging the lemony bullet but there is a small bit of lime in this.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter One**

 **Torrid Dreams and Precious Family**

Ankles...calves...thighs - he dipped the tips of his digits in ever-so-slightly to tease the soft, sensitive inner skin between those two lovely pillars. A tiny gasp that was half pleasure and half mirth because she was ticklish there sounded and it brought a smile to his lips.

Next came the hips and he smoothed callused fingertips over their contours before dancing them over the gently rounded flesh of the belly. Here he paused and frowned, feeling the rough texture of something that wasn't supposed to be there. He pressed his lips to her stomach, dipping his tongue into her bellybutton as he cradled her slim waist and listened to the way she whispered his name.

Slim fingers caressed the sides of his face before sliding into his hair and massaging his scalp. She adored his hair and he liked it when she touched him.

He paused and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate as he waited for her to speak. There was something she was supposed to say. Something he had heard often from her lips. Inhaling her scent, he held his breath as he rolled it around on his tongue and waited, silently urging her to utter what he wanted, no, needed to hear.

However, she said nothing and he let his breath out on a frustrated sigh before deciding that maybe she needed a bit more coaxing.

With that in mind, he continued on the path he'd started with his hands, running them up her ribs and grazing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs - he'd spend more time on them later, just the way she liked it. He paused again, admiring the pretty pink and gold contours of those luscious mounds.

Oh yes, he would give them the attention they deserved once she told him what he wanted to hear.

Sword-roughened hands continued on until he pressed her shoulders back onto the futon, pinning her down as he stared at her lips.

Still he waited for her to say the words.

His entire body hummed as she arched her back, trying to escape or get closer to him - he wasn't quite sure. He pulled his head away just in case, wanting to be in control of the kiss they both knew was coming and as soon as that beautiful mouth formed a pout, he swooped down and pressed his lips to hers.

Now this, this was one of his favorite parts. He explored the portal to her sweet cavern with kisses and licks before sinking his teeth in slightly on her bottom lip and tugging - silently requesting entrance. Perhaps "requesting" was the wrong word. It was more like _begging_ her to feed his addiction to her kisses, her touch, her sighs of pleasure because he knew he'd never get enough of her. She was etched into him, a perfect complement. And when she did as he bade and opened her mouth - allowing him to dip his tongue in and trace the edges of her teeth before stroking her own muscle - he closed his eyes and basked in the pleasure of knowing her, feeling her...and wanting her.

He swallowed a moan before pulling back again and rubbing her swollen lips with his thumb.

"Tell me," he said, growing weary of being patient and prompted by his own desperation for her to _give him what he needed, what he'd sought his whole life to hear._

She bit her lip and he watched as the skin dipped in before she released it just a quickly and it bounced back, red and pliant and seductive. A small pink tongue darted out to wet that flesh and he nearly forgot about his request - his body was aching for her, urging him to forget how important the words were.

He willed himself to be strong as he said in a harder tone, "Tell me. I need to hear it."

It was not a request.

Those rosy lips pursed in thought for a second before opening and he listened closely as she said, "Kyo, I..."

And then he woke up.

Red eyes blinked then narrowed against the sunlight streaming into his face and he growled, turning his face away and staring at the opposite side of his room before scowling at the person laying next to him. It was a testament to how sleep deprived he was that he hadn't heard the woman come in and slip into bed next to him.

Green eyes stared at him with obvious desire and delicate fingers reached out to touch his face. He jerked his head out of her reach and sat up, allowing the covers to pool around his waist. His rejection of her should have been obvious but, like the others of her ilk that had come before, she didn't take the hint. Instead of retreating, she crawled forward, fixing her face into what he supposed passed for seduction, and he noted that she had been bold enough to come naked.

 _'Looks like they are stepping it up,'_ he thought before his gaze sharpened on her at the feel of perfectly formed nails raking lightly across the defined muscles of his abdomen.

"Won't you allow me to serve you, Kyo-Sama?" she whispered huskily as she invaded his space, flicking a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder.

The color caught his eye and Kyo tuned her voice out as he looked at her appearance more closely. She was gorgeous, like all of the women the Taishirou sent to him, with perfect proportions and an air of subservience. Any man would have jumped at the temptation she presented and if he hadn't figured out - through far more trial and error than he cared to think about over the past four years - that he was incapable of allowing her to fulfill her function, he would have taken what she was offering.

Her hair color kept catching his eye though and he frowned. He had thought it might be a coincidence before but she was the fifth one in a row with blonde hair and the third with green eyes. Their facial features were more or less unique to each one but their coloring was becoming more uniform and he wondered at the significance of it. He had never verbally expressed a preference for green-eyed blondes but they kept sending women with that color combination to get in bed with him. It was yet another oddity that he could add to the growing pile of suspicions he had.

Unfortunately, Kyo paid for his distraction. She took advantage of his musing and pressed herself up against him, planting a kiss on the side of his mouth that caused his entire body to tense up and a painful buzz to make itself known in the back of his skull. He moved his head back immediately and shoved her away in reflex, causing her to shriek as his inhuman strength sent her tumbling across the bed and onto the floor with a loud thump.

It took the woman a few moments to gather her wits and use the side of the bed to pull herself up and he watched dispassionately as she pouted and stared at him with tearful eyes. For some reason, her lack of anger over her treatment irked him. If there was one thing the women who came to him had in common, it was their complete lack of anything resembling passion or personality. He should have been able to enjoy the sight of her naked breasts heaving and the beauty of her curves but all he saw when he looked at her was a life-sized sex doll. She was nothing like the woman he interacted with in his dreams.

Speaking of which, his expression hardened and he said coldly, "Get out."

"But Kyo-Sama...," she began, her eyes pleading.

"I said, get out," he repeated, unmoved by her begging tone. She had come to _him_ and she could leave the same way she entered.

Her lips trembled a bit before she nodded and said, "As you wish, Kyo-Sama."

Bending and showing him an unobstructed view of her rear, she retrieved her robe from the floor where she'd left it prior to getting into his bed. Covering up her nudity, she bowed to him, turned, and made a hasty exit, shutting his door behind her with a small 'click.'

He stared at the portal for a second longer before allowing his body to relax, reaching up to rub at his eyes with his calloused hands as he let out a long breath.

Kyo was tired.

He couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd felt so drained and so very frustrated – mentally, physically, and sexually. It was the perfect trifecta of misery. And these dreams he'd been having lately - about a woman whose features he couldn't discern but whose very presence set him on fire - weren't helping.

It had been four years since Muramasa had passed away from his illness and he and the Mibu had reconciled. He still had fond memories of his teacher but he had been able to let him go, knowing that he had gone peacefully. Sometimes, he was caught off-guard by a feeling of loss, as if he were missing something or someone vitally important to his life, but he attributed it to the death of the man who had become like a father to him. He remembered the days he'd spent with the former Elder and the way his surrogate father had asked him to help the Mibu as he lay dying, telling him that he didn't want him to be without a family after he was gone.

Though he wasn't a sentimental sort of person and hadn't trusted the Mibu at first, they eventually demonstrated to his satisfaction that they meant him no harm. The Thousand Killer wasn't about to go out and make friends of course, generally preferring to keep to himself and train with the members of the Goyosei, but he held no particular animosity towards the clan at the moment. And no one had uttered the hated title of "Demon Child" since he'd been there, at least not within his hearing.

As the past four years had gone by, the pain of being rejected by the people who should have treated him like family from the outset had lessened and he _should_ have been content. He _should_ have been able to sit back and enjoy fighting people who were strong enough to take the punishment he could dish out. He _should_ have been happy to have scores of beautiful women who wanted to sleep with him and would let him do whatever he wanted to them if he so chose. He _should_ have been enjoying his restored relationship with the Mibu and reliving enjoyable memories of his many battles, especially the one that had made him a wanted man and earned him the title of Thousand Slayer.

He wanted for nothing, he had a bed to sleep in along with good sake, and there was no shortage of warriors to keep his skills sharp...but he lacked a purpose.

Kyo felt like some sort of pet and the man that he was at his very core resented it. Hated it in fact.

In his head, there was a beautiful picture of redemption and camaraderie with the people he had despised for years but the more he took it out and examined it, the more it lost its luster. He was isolated just as much as he isolated himself. He sparred, but it wasn't enough to push his limits and force him to surpass himself, to get stronger. He had plenty of willing women but he couldn't touch them and he didn't understand why the Elders cared so much whether he got some or not.

It was probably his inability to perform that bothered him the most. He'd always prided himself on his sexual prowess just as much as his skill with a blade. The Thousand Killer enjoyed women and, prior to rejoining the clan, had spent years moving from one to the next.

He loved their breasts, their lips, the way they wrapped their thighs around his hips during sex, the way their voices varied between high-pitched and throaty while in the throes of passion, the list went on and on. And in his heart of hearts, even though he couldn't stomach the way they tried to wrap themselves around him afterwards because he felt as if they were trying to catch ahold of him and keep him – cage him - he even liked the soft little touches and kisses they gave him because.

It was the closest he was ever going to get to being loved.

Even though the clan no longer call him one, he was a monster, and the anger and rage that always simmered below the surface, courtesy of his Mibu blood, insured that he would destroy any woman he formed an attachment to.

He wished he could figure out why he couldn't do anything with the women who came to him. Wanting what they offered wasn't a problem but he couldn't touch them without suffering pain or discomfort in one way or another. The first time the Elders had sent him a bed companion, he'd kissed her as a prelude to the main event and promptly felt nausea like he never had in his life. From then on, he went through a wide variety of tortures trying to get some kind of relief for his needs. With the next woman they sent him, he got a raging headache when she tried to disrobe him. The woman after that he got full-body muscle spasms. And the next one had been beyond embarrassing when she left him completely limp - his passions simply refused to be roused.

On and on it went until he gave up trying to make _anything_ happen and his feelings went from elation to resignation then apathy towards the women who came to him. The gifts they offered were nothing more than a curse for him and his desire had soured into dislike and a driving need for them to just leave him alone. Perhaps it was his lack of action in real life that sparked his vivid dreams about the unknown woman.

They had started off simply enough. He dreamed of kissing a female who whispered his name in a tone that he'd never heard anyone use towards him. Not just needing but soft, as if she cared deeply about him.

From kissing, his dreams had turned to touching and tasting. Each one was more intense than the last and he began to anticipate her telling him something, something very important that he needed to hear.

Since his normal life wasn't satisfying, he took solace in his dreams and enjoyed his time spent with a woman who wasn't a subservient sex-toy and whose touch didn't make him want to claw himself out of his own skin. Sometimes, they were so real that he found himself waking up and half-way out of bed on his way to see his imaginary woman. Usually he would laugh at himself and get dressed before seeking out a member of the Goyosei - usually Shinrei, Taihaku or, rarely, Keikoku - and fighting them furiously until he could collapse into his bed again and dream of _her_.

Turning his head, he stared out of his window at the blue sky, an indication that he had slept later than usual, and wondered why he felt as if he had forgotten something important. The female in his dreams was so close and yet, try as he might, he didn't see her as any of the women he'd been with in his past memories.

He sighed again and closed his eyes briefly before rising and getting dressed to face another unsatisfying day of sparring with people who didn't give him enough reason to get stronger and hours spent in mental pursuit of a woman who wasn't real.

Kyo had everything he needed to exist but nothing he needed to _live_ and he was so very, very tired.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Muramasa had taken to walking in the early mornings to keep his strength up. He liked to be active regardless how bad he was feeling on any given day. Part of it was his refusal to die laying on his back when his time came and the other part of it was in the process of decorating his porch with flowers as he approached the house at the end of his route. The former Elder smiled when he saw a little head crowned with red-gold hair pulled into pigtails, that bobbed back and forth while its owner hummed a tune she'd learned from her mother.

It was approaching autumn again and he wasn't quite sure where she found the flowers but he admired her handiwork as he gentled his steps, attempting to sneak up on his granddaughter. She went on singing and wiggling her hips in a dance that wasn't quite in time with the music and he thought he had her until, when he was just a few feet away, she paused and said, "I know you're there Jii-San."

He chuckled and she turned around, staring at him with bright red eyes set in a innocent face and smiling with lips that pulled back to show off two little fangs. Aiko was a solid mix between both of her parents. The shape of her face and nose were her mother's as well as the blonde hair blending with the red she'd inherited from her sire. Her eyes were just like Kyo's though - narrower than what was considered normal and blood red but without the deeply ingrained mistrust. And, just like her father, they missed very little even at the tender age of three-and-a-half.

Even with her half-human parentage, her senses were incredibly sharp - it was why she could sense her grandfather's presence without seeing him first - and she was far stronger than other children her age. Although her mother's upbringing had produced a very gentle soul, she still had the aggressive tendencies that were an earmark of her Mibu heritage. No one would ever mistake her for a normal human and he and Yuya took great pains to keep Aiko close to home and away from other children, for both her sake and theirs if they decided to pick at her as kids were wont to do.

His granddaughter held her hands out - making sure she kept hold of a flower in one fist - and he scooped her up immediately, hugging her close and stroking her hair as she snuggled into his embrace.

"Ai wanted to make the house pretty for Kaa-Chan," she said as she stuck her flower behind his ear.

"That's very sweet of you Ai-Chan. I'm sure your mother will be happy to see your flowers when she gets back."

"Will Kyoshiro Ji-Chan like them too?" she asked as they entered the house and he sat her down at the small table he'd relocated to the middle of his front room.

"I'm sure he'll like them too," he replied as he pulled out dishes for breakfast and set about preparing a simple meal for the two of them to eat.

He hesitated for a second on his way outside to start up the fire pit, looking from the table with its two settings to the uncooked food in his hand before adding enough for two more people. Kyoshiro and Yuya were supposed to be returning later in the day after leaving to hunt down a particularly nasty bounty and they were probably going to be hungry.

"Can I help you cook, Jii-San?" Aiko asked and he nodded, allowing her to race past him.

She skipped around the pit a few times, happy that her grandfather considered her to be old enough to help before grabbing the fan he used to coax the flames higher whenever he was cooking and crouching down next to the hole. The girl stared at the ashes as if she could will them to combust and he hid a smile as he sat his supplies down and gave her a gentle pat on the head. For all that he had years of experience, his cooking skills were so-so and he much preferred to eat Yuya's food. The former Elder had been pleasantly surprised to discover that she was an excellent cook and he looked forward to her return.

He was about to turn and gather wood from the pile when a presence teased his senses and he paused for half a second before looking at Aiko and asking, "Why don't you put the wood in the pit this time, Ai-Chan? I think you are big enough to give it a try. I'll start the fire when you finish."

She looked up at him – brilliant eyes wide at receiving yet another "grown-up" duty - and nodded eagerly before racing to the woodpile and trying to pull a big log from the side of the stack. She actually managed to move it slightly, which was quite a feat for such a tiny child, but he shook his head in amusement and said, "Go for the little pieces. I'll be right back."

Muramasa was thankful that she wasn't quite yet perceptive enough to pick up on the signal he'd received and he looked past the girl at the woods behind her, knowing he was being watched as he inclined his head slightly to indicate to the two people waiting that they should enter the house from the back.

Giving Aiko one last look, he entered the building and went to Kyoshiro's room, pulling out his medicine chest as he waited for the other occupants of the house to enter the room. Sitting back on his heels, he looked around the room and pondered how they'd come to this point. The former assassin's room was sparse but clean and smelled of a combination of herbs and ointments that ran the gamut from pleasant to horrible.

No one had been more surprised than the former Elder - who knew who and what the young man was to the king - to find that the newest of the Crimson Cross Knights had a knack for healing and delighted in helping people. The man was phenomenal with a sword, no doubt about it, but he favored creation over destruction - the opposite of Kyo.

Unlike his missing son, who viewed Tenryo as an extension to his body, Kyoshiro had put Shibien to the side the moment he was away from the Mibu lands. According to him, it was inappropriate to wield a sword stained so black with blood around an innocent child and he opted to carry a plain blade that did not have a mind of its own.

Shibien had not taken kindly to being supplanted and Muramasa could hear it complaining about losing its supply of blood and mayhem. It only quieted when the strange, silver-haired boy - who reminded him so much of Kyo as a child - took the sword in hand. Sasuke had drawn the blade and held it at arm's length and Muramasa had watched as his creation crackled and hummed, testing the boy's worthiness before settling down with a grumble. It wasn't pleased but it settled for the child and the swordsmith wondered what sort of blood-stained history that boy must have had for his ravenous weapon to accept him.

Whatever the case, Sasuke and the rest of Kyo's friends had determined that they would depart and hone their skills so that they could return to the Mibu lands someday and get Kyo back for their sakes and those of his wife and child.

The first few months after Yuya and the rest returned from the Mibu lands had been tense while they awaited an imminent attack from his former friends. But as the days passed and nothing happened, they gradually relaxed and he had done his best to take it easy, conserving his energy where he could. Losing his son again had struck a terrible emotional blow and his illness had progressed to the point that he was in near constant pain but he was determined to hold his grandchild before he died. And that stubbornness paid off with a beautiful girl who had him wrapped firmly around her tiny finger and given him yet another thing to live.

Some might have viewed the name Yuya bestowed upon her daughter as fanciful and overly romantic but he knew how much it meant to her. He had never imagined that Kyo - stoic, blunt, awkward, and mean Kyo, who ran from anything resembling an emotional entanglement - would ever tell his wife that he loved her. It sounded ridiculous that a man wouldn't say something so important to his spouse at least once but Kyo was Kyo and he could clearly see the lasting impact his confession had on Yuya as she related to him what happened. It was the only time in the entire sad tale that her face had lit up with the joy that he had grown used to seeing before their departure for the Mibu lands. Conceived in love, Aiko was a perfect name to describe what Yuya's child symbolized to both of her parents.

The door opened behind him and he tilted his head to watch as Kyoshiro guided a limping Yuya into the room and helped her to sit down on the floor before pushing her kimono up to reveal a nasty cut on her left leg.

Even as she winced in pain, Yuya scowled and said, "I'll be alright, Kyoshiro. Stop fussing over me."

"Kyo would never forgive me if I let you suffer permanent damage. I've managed to keep the scarring down so far but I can't do it forever. Someday you are going to fight someone who won't be as sloppy as the bounties you've been hunting so far."

Though her face maintained its scowl, Muramasa could tell her mind was in turmoil. Yuya had gotten better at keeping a tighter rein on her thoughts over the past four years but she couldn't change who she was at heart. She was still the type to trust and help those around her although she was getting better at being more discerning of who she chose to aid. However, she never had been nor would she ever be a killer. The ability to disconnect thought and conscience from action - an ability both he and Kyoshiro possessed – eluded her. Hence, while her mind wasn't as loud as before, he could still pick up on her thoughts from time to time and he was able to read her shame and anger loudly enough.

She wished that she could be more like them so that she wouldn't hurt as much and he and Kyoshiro were grateful that she was incapable of changing who she was because they loved her so dearly.

He leaned closer and she turned her face away, avoiding his eyes as she grabbed the bandage and bottle of ointment from Kyoshiro and began to dab it onto her wound, pointedly ignoring both of the men in the room. Two sets of eyes met over the top of her blonde head in silent exchange and they rose as one, heading to the door and exiting the room. They relocated to Muramasa's room and opted to stand just in case they needed to go back to Kyoshiro's room quickly.

"What happened this time, Kyoshiro-San?" Muramasa asked and the other man groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

"She's getting too caught up in bounty hunting, Muramasa-Sama," he replied.

Kyoshiro hadn't been able to drop the honorific he always used when dealing with the former Elder. He had been bred to respect the Taishirou and what they meant to the clan even though he didn't agree with their recent actions and, in theory, was meant to rule over them. No matter how many times the older man told him that his position was no more, he still insisted on the formality and eventually Kyo's teacher gave up.

Switching his thoughts to the other wayward child in his life, he frowned. Yuya had taken to hunting bounties once Aiko was old enough to be left in Muramasa's care for a day or two. He and Kyoshiro had tried to dissuade her but she insisted that she be allowed to do so in order to improve her skills and contribute funds to the household. She didn't expect to reach Kyo's level or even that of her other friends who were off training but she also refused to be "a burden," as she put it. It was the first inkling he'd had since her return from the Mibu of the level of blame his daughter-in-law had shouldered for losing her husband to the clan.

Despite his misgivings, he reluctantly stepped aside and allowed her to do as she wished on the condition that she kept Kyoshiro with her in case she ever bit off more than she could chew. She grumbled at first but eventually they became a team and she had been plenty grateful for the ex-assassin's presence a number of times when facing bounties who were stronger than their wanted posters indicated. With the tumultuous times they were living in, that disparity was happening more and more and he was just as worried as Kyoshiro about where and when her chosen course would end. Yes, Yuya showed marked improvement and could handle herself more often than not, but she was also a mother. And keeping her alive and reuniting her and Aiko with Kyo was the end goal.

It was a tough situation to be in and he could see why Kyoshiro was radiating frustration. Yuya, he had discovered, was strong-willed to the point of domineering, especially when paired with someone like Kyoshiro who had been born to be obedient and loyal. She had figured out early on that the young man was generally harmless and eager to please and - as the woman who had captured the heart of a man as stubborn and willful as Kyo - she was not above taking ruthless advantage of his mild disposition if it got her what she wanted.

Muramasa's theory was that she and Kyo served as checks and balances to each other - which is probably why they made such a strong union. As she matured into her current twenty years of age, he felt that it was in the best interests of all to turn their collective minds to plotting about how they could get ahold of his son and stop the Mibu from following through with their dark plans.

According to the Crimson Knight, the former king and the Four Elders were in the process of amassing an army of genetic experiments who would sweep through the country and eventually the world, bringing the shadowy control of the clan out into the light and striking fear into the hearts of mankind. It was a sickening thought but he had a feeling that they were going to use Kyo in some capacity to make it happen. Why else would they take an interest in him and his child?

Muramasa sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking at Kyoshiro, who had been patiently waiting for him to make some sort of response to his comment.

"Tell me what happened, Kyoshiro-San. Something has really upset her this time."

"I...," he paused and hazarded a look towards the door as if Yuya would burst in at any moment before continuing, "I can't be the one to tell you. She needs a father's touch this time. The guy we were hunting got close, too close."

For some reason, the older man knew he wasn't talking just about the wound on her leg and he nodded slowly in understanding.

"If I am to handle Yuya, then I need you to check up on Aiko. I left her piling wood in the pit and she's probably stacked it so high by now that it's ready to fall over," he smiled a bit at the mental picture and Kyoshiro mirrored it.

They both adored Kyo's child and wife and did everything in their power to insure that they stayed healthy and happy. Unfortunately, it was looking like Yuya's scars ran a bit deeper than they thought and he hoped that he would be able to comfort her as needed after what had clearly been a harrowing ordeal.

As if reading his mind, Kyoshiro's smile faded and his face took on a solemn cast as he said, "I'll take care of Ai-Chan. But Muramasa-Sama, if you want to get anywhere with her and convincing her to take better care of herself, you are going to have to tell her the truth."

Muramasa didn't need to ask to know which truth he was referring to. He'd been putting it off for years, knowing her well enough to understand that she would do something foolish if he couldn't get her to see reason. She was so different from Kyo but every bit as headstrong when her emotions were involved and she loved her daughter to the point that she would do anything to protect her. He just wished he could transform that protectiveness into self-preservation.

Unfortunately, they were running out of time and he didn't have any miracles up his sleeve to return her husband to her without difficulty. They needed to act before things got even harder and they lost their ability to travel easily.

 _'She is going to be angry at me,'_ he thought as he exited his room with one last glance at Kyoshiro.

As he headed back to the previous room to confront the young woman he loved as if she were his own child, he tried to figure out how he would break the news to her that she was actually a mother twice over.

He was _not_ looking forward to it.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I'm super excited to be writing this part of Kyo and Yuya's story. I have so many ideas and I hope you enjoy the fic. There are some mysteries to be solved and all will be revealed eventually though, so no worries 'kay? Don't be too mad at Muramasa, he knows Yuya very well and, as much as I love her, she'd have stormed the castle gates to get her son back and gotten herself killed.

In case you are wondering about Kyo and why he is having such a hard time with the ladies, he's not being held back by some sort of subconscious knowledge of having someone out there waiting for him - that would be crazy unrealistic for this fic - it's something just a tad bit more sinister but fun, I promise ;-P. Kyo is still himself after all and the Mibu sealed his memories and performed some modifications to it, essentially regressing him into what he would be if Yuya or the Four Emperors were never in his life.

As always, please let me know what you think and thanks for taking the time to read.


	3. Hard Truths and Little Boy Lost

**Thanks to:** **general zargon, darkryubaby** (Yes it was a butthole thing to do but I also know if someone took my own kids I'd move heaven and earth to get them back ASAP and in Yuya's case she would have tried and failed miserably if she went up against the Mibu as she was. In the case of this fic, Muramasa could have fought the Mibu who were taking the baby away but his power comes at the cost of himself and Yuya was bleeding out at the time while his granddaughter was stuck in a closet. It was a crappy situation all around), **J Luc Pitard** (I probably didn't do a good job of explaining the situation but Muramasa is hoping that Yuya has matured enough to think things through a bit before running off as she would have when she was sixteen. He and Kyoshiro want her to take better care of herself and slow down on picking fights she might not win if she knows she needs to live to see her child. Basically, it's a balance between getting stronger, knowing her limits and understanding that, as a parent, you can't always do what you want. Now, will she listen? That's another story.), **lmamc, ThunderxShadow** (I am sooo looking forward to reuniting these two), **kyoandyuya** (Worry not, all will be fine and the king does love children), **joellesophya** (Those three words are important but there's a little bit more to make Kyo's memories come back but don't worry, it'll all be quite romantic), **Alyce DreamEater, Rinfantasy** (Thanks! Glad you like Aiko), **magicalnana, Harlett** (This is for your review of the "Past and Present" chapter of MNM. Glad you liked it), **KyouyaxCloud**

 **Japanese Note:** Otou-Sama is a respectful way of saying father and zouri is Yuya (and Akari's) footwear

 **Author's Note:** By far the most common question was "Where is the boy?" Hence, I'll give you a little bit of info on how he's fared in this chapter. Also, a lot of you were pretty close when you linked Sakuya to Kyo's inability to *ahem* perform. She is related but there is a bit more to it and she has a few little surprises in store for the Mibu, Kyo losing his memories isn't quite as rock solid as it was last time. As stated, all things will eventually come to light. In the meantime...enjoy!

Kyo and Yuya's son is named Ryu meaning dragon (spirit) and I'll let you guess who named him and why.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Two**

 **Hard Truths and Little Boy Lost**

Yuya's movements were automatic as she treated her own wounds and tried not to think of anything but cleaning her leg and seeing Aiko when she was done. She didn't want to think of Kyoshiro or Muramasa looking at her with those worried eyes or wonder when she was going to be strong enough to stop being an encumbrance. She didn't want to think of how things might have been different if she hadn't been such a weakling and lost Kyo. And she especially didn't want to close her eyes - even now they were burning with the need for her to blink and moisten them but she held firm.

No, she didn't want to envision grasping hands going places they had no business being or remember the feel of hot breath carrying the scent of sake on her face. Nor did she want to dwell on the feel of wet lips trying to steal her breath away and blood dripping down her leg while a silken voice told her about its owner's disgusting plans for her body. She could feel the unpleasant memories lurking in the darkness between one blink and the next and wanted no part of them.

Her hands shook, gradually slowing down until she was staring at her leg without seeing it as her vision started to mist over. She lost the battle with her lids and closed them, squeezing them tight to prevent the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes from escaping.

Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down but all she saw was their last bounty - Onimaru the Pretender - and what he almost managed to do. It was enough to make her want to vomit and she squashed the urge lest she disgrace herself.

The young woman stiffened when she heard the soft slide of the door and opened her eyes before forcing her hands to resume treating her wound, trying to ignore the presence of the other person. While she wasn't particularly strong - something she still found frustrating - her senses were a lot sharper these days and she recognized the quiet weight of her father-in-law's gaze on her back.

Even though she knew she couldn't run from the conversation that was coming, she did her best to pretend Muramasa wasn't there until she finished tending to her leg. Green eyes moved from one side of the room to the other, searching the nooks and crannies as if they would give her solace from her inner turmoil and allow her to avoid the questions he was bound to ask.

Clothing rustled and she gave a start when strong hands were placed on either side of her shoulders. His breath fanned across the back of her neck as he said softly, "There's no hiding your anxiety from me, Yuya. I have some sort of inkling about what might have happened but I'd like you to try and tell me yourself."

Blocking his presence out when he was so close was a futile endeavor and she opened her mouth and shut it just as quickly before shaking her head in denial.

He sighed and reached one hand up to stroke her hair like she was a child and the warm familiarity helped her to relax a bit. She could feel his mind gently touching hers, soothing her frazzled thoughts as efficiently as if he were physically untangling them and sorting them into neat little boxes for her.

"Breathe Yuya," he murmured and she nodded, effectively caught in his comforting spell but unwilling to move away from the bulwark he provided against her own thoughts.

She just wanted to take her pain and pack it away, storing it on the shelves of her mind until a more convenient time but he wouldn't let her and, as she relaxed against him, he said, "Please tell me what happened, daughter of mine. Show me your thoughts or tell me out loud but do not hide your hurt. You've been doing enough of that these past few years."

Yuya cringed at his perceptive words. She usually tried so hard to be strong and hide her feelings but it was exhausting to be brave all the time and pretend that she was okay. To act as if she wasn't only one half of a whole.

She was tired.

At sixteen, she might have taken Muramasa up on his offer to share her thoughts with him so she wouldn't have to voice her shame out loud. However, at twenty, she decided that was the coward's way out and she was too old to keep hiding.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she leaned back against Muramasa's chest and said simply, "I almost didn't make it back, Otou-Sama."

He said nothing, knowing that she had more to say, and she leaned forward and turned to face him before assuming a kneeling position. Doing her best to ignore the pain of her injury, she took his hands in hers and held onto them tightly for strength as she continued.

"We thought it would be easy this time. He was only a thousand ryo bounty after all. As it turned out, there were two of them and the picture of Onimaru wasn't who he really was. Kyoshiro tailed the man whose likeness was on the poster. Supposedly he was very fond of women and Kyoshiro had a fake aphrodisiac that he wanted to sell to him that would knock him out so we could turn him in. I kept my distance, intending to help move him once he was unconscious."

"Kyoshiro and he went into an alley and he told him that the word was that the man enjoyed a good romp and that he wanted to offer his services as a medicine peddler. I know it probably sounds like an obvious lie but, well, you know how Kyoshiro is. He's such a friendly sort and he plays the fool very well when he wants to. I'm not quite sure where he gets it from."

She couldn't help but smile a bit when she thought of Kyoshiro and his flakey act - well, half-act because he genuinely _was_ eccentric. Muramasa did not share in her mirth. Instead he frowned and she wondered if he knew where Kyo's old rival had picked up his disarming mannerisms and, if so, why it bothered the older man.

"Anyways," she swallowed because this was the hard part, "I learned the hard way why he is known as the Pretender. I was listening to Kyoshiro's spiel as he tried to persuade the man we _thought_ was Onimaru to buy his potion when a blade was pressed against my throat and a voice was whispering in my ear that I was too pretty to be hunting big, mean men."

Yuya paused this time and stared at Muramasa but she didn't see him. Instead, she was listening to Kyoshiro's weedling voice as it droned on in the background and watching as the people walking past looked at her before turning their faces away and hurrying down the road. That was the first inkling she had that the man they'd been hunting had far more power than she'd realized and that the people inhabiting the town had probably been feeding information to him from the moment she and Kyoshiro stepped onto his turf. In these times of poverty, it wasn't unusual for a boss to take over a town provided he helped the people to put food in their bellies by spying for him or turning a blind eye to his activities. The two of them had believed that they were being subtle in their inquiries, but apparently not.

She opened her mouth to try and call for Kyoshiro but the blade pressed in closer and the silky voice behind her said, "I'd heard there was a pretty little bounty huntress wandering these parts but I never imagined you'd find your way to me."

Her body tensed of it's own accord and her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she darted her gaze from one side of the road to the other, noting that the street was almost empty now except for a few men - probably Onimaru's - scattered here and there who were watching her with leering interest. She hadn't thought her movements across the local countryside would be noticed since she tried not to go after bounties who were too high on the list. It was both a precaution against tracking anyone she couldn't handle and a way of flying beneath the notice of the scum in the area.

 _'So much for that idea,'_ she thought with a grimace and held her breath as the stranger wrapped a hand around her waist and began to move backwards, pulling her along without taking his knife away.

"We wouldn't want you calling for help from your little friend now, would we. Don't worry, my men will take good care of him. Me, on the other hand...well, I like my girls to be exotic. Finding a female bounty hunter is rare and one who looks like you is even better. Pity your boyfriend had to fall in with a woman who doesn't know her place. Ah well, he can think about it while he waits for you in Hell. But," he bent close and pressed a kiss against her cheek before flicking it with his tongue, "I can't promise to send you to join him immediately. A girl like you, who's strong enough to hunt me down, is bound to last longer than most women I play with."

Her mind raced to and fro as she tried to think of a way to get herself away but as long as he had a knife to her throat, she couldn't do anything. Therefore, she waited while he pulled her further down the street and unwrapped his arm from her for a moment to open a door behind them. The knife dipped slightly and she took the opportunity to struggle, not because she expected to get away but to force him to worry about controlling her instead of paying attention to the shoe she kicked off to give Kyoshiro a way to find her once he finished fighting Onimaru's men. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he would handle himself just fine. For all that he played the fool, his swordsmanship was on par with Kyo's.

"Hold still, whore," her captor said as he pressed his knife close once more and she stilled, staring at the image of her lone zouri lying in the road until he closed the door behind them and shut her into darkness.

Onimaru took advantage of her acquiescence and brought his free hand up, running it down the side of her body and laughing at the way she automatically tried to hunch away when he gave her breasts an uncomfortable squeeze. His hand traveled down her hip before slipping beneath the hem of her kimono and grabbing at the sensitive skin of her thighs as he felt around and made a sound of satisfaction when he found the knives and gun strapped to her leg.

"Pretty _and_ prepared, aren't you just full of surprises," he murmured as he unstrapped her weapons and dropped them on the floor before pushing her ahead of him down a long hallway to a door that was dimly lit from the other side.

Sliding it open, he gave her a hard shove and she stumbled forward before catching herself and using her momentum to spin around to face her enemy. For the first time she was able to see her captor and she blinked in surprise. She had expected a man who was unkempt or ugly but Onigumo the Pretender was neither. He was good-looking, terrifyingly so. His hair was long and so black that it blended into the shadows.

Although the black eyes that watched her were predatory, his beautiful face could have been carved from ivory and his shapely lips were quirked in a smile that was genial, like he wasn't planning to take her by force. Perhaps the most incongruous things of all were his hands, they were fine-boned with long, slender fingers - the sort you'd see on a musician or a noble. Except, instead of strumming an instrument, they were rotating the handle of the knife with incredible dexterity and she could tell that he was fast, very fast.

He was blocking her only exit and she slowly backed away, hoping to draw him further into the room so she'd have more room to maneuver. Her hand to hand combat wasn't the best since she was more effective when she was armed and had distance on her side. Kyoshiro was the one who took care of bounties who got up close and personal and she called herself seven different varieties of fool for getting sloppy.

Those well-defined lips quirked as if he saw right through her but his movements were slow as he stepped away from the door and went to a little table sitting in the corner that held two delicate sake cups along with a matching container. He poured himself a drink and paused, giving her a long look before filling the second cup. She edged around the side of the room, looking for any openings.

Her "host" downed his cup and sat it down before raising the second one towards her, cocking his head to the side, and asking politely, "Would you like a drink? It's the nicest I'm going to be for the next few hours."

She shook her head mutely and he shrugged before emptying her cup as well and licking his lips as he sat it on the table.

"Well, then," he said as he eyed her up and down, "where should we start? Usually this is the part where they start to beg."

Yuya glared at him and said snarkily, "Don't hold your breath."

"My, my," he said, bringing the hand with the knife up and tapping the handle against the side of his cheek absently, "don't those green eyes just light up when you get defiant? I wonder how they'll look when they're filled with pain."

There was no warning and it was only her quick reflexes that saved her leg from being impaled by the knife he flicked at her. The good part was that she managed to dodge being speared through but the bad part was that it still managed to score a nasty cut on her limb. She barely had time to register the pain before he moved faster than a normal man and slammed her against the wall, choking off her automatic scream and pressing himself close to keep her from completing a well-aimed kick to his groin.

Those slender musician's fingers were strong around her neck and she fought to breathe as he leaned in close and pressed a moist kiss to her lips before whispering hotly, "You are so fascinating. Most people can't dodge my throws. That man with you didn't deserve someone so fierce and pretty," she didn't miss how he referred to Kyoshiro in the past tense, "And those lips! I'll make sure to put them to good use. You'll learn how to please me well before you die, won't you?"

Yuya had heard enough crude talk over the years to know what he was talking about and she struggled as best she could, feeling panic rising in her breast. The immobility, the helplessness...she screwed her eyes shut trying to block out the memory of another man who held her at his mercy while he tortured her and made her watch as her husband cast his pride aside for her. She could almost feel the water wyrms again, squeezing her heart until she tasted blood and her lungs felt as if they would burst from her screams. Her limbs were locking up, frozen in pain that was more imagined than real and Onimaru was smiling at her as he fed on her panic.

"Yuya, you don't have to tell me anymore," Muramasa said and she blinked, staring at him as if seeing him for the first time and realizing that she had been narrating the whole thing out loud while reliving it in her mind.

"Otou-Sama...he was going to rape me," she said it softly, hating how her voice sounded – low, quivering and very young.

Weak.

She was always too weak.

Muramasa made a shushing noise in the back of his throat and gently broke the death grip she had on his hands as he reached up to wipe her cheeks with his sleeve.

She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest, taking comfort the way she would if he were her real father. He held her and said quietly, "I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience."

"If Kyoshiro hadn't come then, I wouldn't be alive right now."

"It's alright Yuya. You came home and that is what matters."

"Is it wrong for me to want to be strong, Otou-Sama? To want the ability to protect the people I love?"

"No, there is nothing wrong with that but...," he paused and she looked up at him, wondering why he was hesitating.

"But what?"

"But, you should trust the people around you more. You are not a killer. You are the daughter I never had and a mother. Yes, Satori is achieved by finding inner peace but I am not perfect. I can't be serene _all_ day, everyday, and whenever you leave, I worry that instead of reuniting you with my son, I'll be laying your cold body at his feet."

The worry etched on his face was heartbreaking and she fought not to give in to his silent plea.

"This isn't the first time you've said this. What else can I do? I relied on my friends and lost the love of my life because I couldn't do anything for myself."

"And this isn't the first time you've told me why you keep putting yourself in danger, Yuya. We both keep going in circles."

"So, I should stay weak and helpless?" she pulled away and frowned at him, disliking the turn of the conversation.

He sighed in frustration and said, "You are _not_ weak and you are _not_ helpless just because you aren't at the same level as the rest of us. My son would never have picked a weak woman as his wife and if we could go back in time and do it all over again, he'd still make the same choice he made that day four years ago because that is the sort of person he is. Kyo always has and always will do what he wants. He wanted you to live and so he did his best to make sure that would happen. Why are you so stubborn?"

The exasperation in his voice was real and she could see clearly the holes she was punching into his calm because of her hardheadedness.

Smiling gently, she said, "I don't mean to be difficult, Otou-Sama."

Muramasa closed his eyes, inhaled slowly and exhaled in a long rush before he said, "Yes...you do. You want me to let you do whatever you want. However," he opened his eyes and she tensed up, knowing what the expression he wore meant, "I can't agree to that."

His deep blue irises were calm and clear of emotion - it was what she referred to as his "Taishirou Face" - and she could see the years of command gathering behind him like storm clouds. He rarely used it on her but she knew that whenever he was like this, it was best to sit up, take notice, and be on her toes because he was bound to say or do something life-changing.

"So, you refuse to stop being reckless even though it's making us all sick with worry?"

Yuya pinched her lips together and lowered her lids. Put like that, it made her sound incredibly immature and selfish.

"Fine, Yuya. We'll put that stubbornness to a productive use. It's time to gather your friends and get my son back."

Her eyes flew open and she stared at him in shock for a moment before moving forward, wanting to embrace him out of sheer joy but he forestalled her.

"Don't hug me just yet. In fact, I'm quite certain that you are going to hate me and maybe even want to hit me in the next few seconds."

She shook her head in denial. How could she ever dream of doing bodily harm to her sweet father-in-law?

"Look at me," he said and she raised curious eyes to do as he commanded, "I know your goal has been to become stronger but we do not have the time. I have allowed you your grief because I know that in proper amounts it can cleanse a person but you have gone past that limit and it's eating you alive now. And so, since one child obviously isn't enough to curb those self-destructive tendencies of yours, I will tell you what I should have told you a while ago. You are not _only_ Aiko's mother."

Yuya blinked and tried to figure out what in the world he meant.

"You make it sound like I have another child," she said after a moment of turning his words over in her mind and she followed the statement up with a laugh and a shake of her head, as if she could jostle such a ridiculous notion out of her thoughts. But, his expression did not change and her mirth melted into confusion and then shock.

"You can't be serious. There's no way I could have delivered another child without knowing it...is there?" she asked.

She could have handled him keeping his "Taishirou Face" on but the mask broke as she made her inquiries and he looked at her with a mixture of shame and sorrow as he said, "I'm sorry, Yuya. You have a son - Aiko's twin."

Her thoughts ground to a halt and she covered her mouth with her hand, feeling sick. The only word that escaped was a muffled, accusatory, "Why?" before her eyes rolled back and she promptly fainted.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"One..."

He closed his eyes tight, doing his best to resist the temptation to peak.

"Two..."

She giggled and her footsteps sounded as she darted away.

"Three..."

He took in a breath and held it.

"Four..."

His heartbeat slowed, allowing him to focus.

"Five..."

He cast his senses wide, mapping out the contours of the room in his mind.

"Six..."

He let out the breath he'd been holding and concentrated.

"Seven..."

He imagined what she had last looked like, where she would be.

"Eight..."

He breathed in again, this time scenting the air.

"Nine..."

His toes curled and uncurled in anticipation.

"Ten!"

He poked at his tiny fangs with the tip of his tongue and opened his bright red eyes, guiding them from one side of the massive room to the other.

Mibu Ryu liked to play games with Ruru. She was his best friend, well, his only one really. Taihaku didn't really count because he was so _old_ and Sendai-Sama was Sendai-Sama. The only other people he saw regularly were the Taishirou, Shinrei, and sometimes Sakuya. Fubuki, Hishigi, and Tokito were kind of scary but Yuan was a lot of fun when he had the time to play. Sakuya was really nice but he only saw her occasionally.

That brought him to Shinrei, his favorite person next to Ruru. They never spoke of it, but sometimes he wondered what the man was to him. At three-and-a-half, he was starting to notice that they didn't look at all alike and, while he had no concept of genetics, he was growing curious about what his relationship was to the people around him.

As he tracked Ruru through the vast room, moving his nose from side to side and trying to isolate her unique scent, he mulled over his family. He knew of the concept of a mother, father, brothers and sisters - Shinrei had explained them to him thoroughly like he did everything else - but he only knew of his uncle, Taihaku Oji-San, and his sister Ruru. Everyone else was his superior, although Shinrei insisted that they too were family.

It was a hard concept for one so young to grasp and he couldn't hold onto such serious thoughts when he was concentrating on locating his friend and so he set them aside and kept walking, looking with what was on the inside more than his external abilities. Only Shinrei knew how aware he was of his surroundings at all times and he encouraged him to hone his senses, telling him that such awareness was going to be useful when it came time to train him and that it was yet another thing he should be proud his Mibu blood had given him.

Shinrei spoke a lot about being proud to have Mibu blood and he didn't understand why he would worry about it in the first place. It's not like there was something wrong with him, was there?

Ryu wasn't sure what training his master was talking about but he was grateful for his ability to chart out his surroundings and the position of the people and things within them as he passed a massive red and gold pillar and stopped. There, right on the edge of awareness, was a tiny bit of movement.

A mischievous grin touched his lips and he quieted his steps, creeping forward slowly as he caught ahold of her scent and followed the trail Ruru had left behind. When he reached out with his senses, it was like there was a bubble with him in the middle of it and he could feel everything that went on in his little sphere. He could feel the tiny eddies of displaced air from the movement of oxygen into her lungs as she breathed. As he got closer, he could hear her heartbeat and the infinitesimally small squeak of her bare toes on the polished floor as she shifted.

He licked his lips, knowing that she hadn't spotted him yet because her heartbeat was still constant if a little fast due to the excitement of playing their game of hide-and-seek. Pressing his back against the pillar he was sure she was hiding behind, he inched forward until he saw the back of her red head coming into sight. Her body radiated tension and he smiled, feeling an odd sense of predatoriness as he moved forward on silent feet.

Sometimes he wondered why it was so easy for him to discern the movements of those around him but he didn't dwell on it as he pressed forward, lengthening his stride until he reached out and tapped his quarry on the back with a quiet, "Gotcha'."

Ruru jumped and spun around, staring at him wide-eyed before pouting and crossing her arms in annoyance.

"I don't get it, Ryu-Chan, this room is huge. How come you always manage to find me?"

Knowing that she was just being a bad sport and that no answer he gave would satisfy her, Ryu folded his arms and shrugged as he said, "I just can."

Courtesy of Shinrei's strict insistence on developing his language skills from an early age, he lacked the usual childish habit of referring to himself in the third-person. He'd worked very hard, wanting to please his master, and struggling to speak in complete sentences until he could carry on a conversation well enough. He still slipped sometimes and called himself by name instead of saying "I" but it was usually when his emotions got the best of him and he forgot to bring his speech in line. He didn't realize that it was abnormal for a child to be so formal and precise in his verbal communications but since it made Shinrei happy, he thought nothing of it. According to his master, his own father had insisted on the same for him when he was Ryu's age.

"What else do you want to play, Ruru-Chan?" he asked, balancing on the heels of his feet as he wondered what else they would do. When he wasn't being taught the basics of reading, like memorizing his characters, or learning the different levels of polite address within the clan, he spent his days playing with his sister.

He usually enjoyed their games but the eight-year-old could be a bit bossy sometimes, like now when she glared at him and said, "I already told you to call me Ruru-Hime."

Ryu tilted his black head to the side and asked, "Why? You aren't a princess."

"Yes I am, I am the Crimson King's daughter. _That_ makes me a princess."

"But you told me that Hishigi is the one who made you," he had no idea that it wasn't normal for children to be made, simply taking her declaration in stride when she had informed him that she was a super special type of creation called a "Rare Breed."

She didn't know what it meant either but she liked to pretend she did, taking advantage of her age to imply that she had all of the answers. In actuality, she liked Ryu as lot as well but his constant ability to best her when he was only half her age miffed her and she could be a little petty at times, it was a side-effect of her rather spoiled upbringing.

"Well, that just goes to show how much _you_ know," she said with a sniff before putting her hands on her hips and walking towards the big doors at the end of the room.

Deciding that he didn't feel like arguing, he trotted to catch up with her and reached out to grab a hold of her hand. She flicked a glance at him with her unusual pink eyes but said nothing as she curled her fingers around his and held on tightly.

The two children walked on in silence for a moment before Ryu asked quietly, "If you are my sister, does that mean that Sendai-Sama is my father as well?"

Ruru stopped and seemed to consider that for a moment before shaking her head in the negative, "I'm not your sister Ryu-Chan."

He stared at her with surprised red eyes and listened as she continued, "I know Hishigi-Sama didn't make you because I listen in sometimes when Sendai-Sama talks to him and Fubuki-Sama. They said something once about using you as a replacement for your father but they acted like there was something about you that might be wrong."

The boy clenched his hand hard around hers and she winced, trying to ignore the pain caused by his unusual strength because she knew he didn't mean to hurt her.

"Am I sick?" he asked in a hushed whisper, ignoring the part about having a father for the time being in favor of concern for his own health, "Do I have the Death Disease, Ruru-Chan?"

He was so worried that she didn't have the heart to correct his failure to append "-Hime" onto her name and only shook her head as she replied, "I don't know. I hope not. You might be a brat but you are _mine_."

Even if he drove her crazy sometimes, she was very extremely possessive of him, like he was a favored toy. The king had given him to her as a playmate when he was little and she took it to mean Ryu _literally_ belonged to her. He took it in stride and would go along with her as long as she didn't annoy him too much but, at the end of the day, he usually did just as he pleased. The sound of a door opening caught their attention and the children turned as one to see who was entering the massive room.

Ryu smiled as he saw Shinrei entering the room but it faded as Hishigi came in behind him and he huddled closer to Ruru, knowing what the presence of the dark man meant.

"It's okay Ryu-Chan," his companion said, stroking his arm to soothe him, "He's probably just here to run a few tests again."

"I don't like them, Ruru-Chan. They hurt sometimes and he's scary. Can't you come with me?"

"I'll see if I can get them to take me too," she said even though they both knew it was highly unlikely.

Hishigi really hated distractions and Ruru didn't have it in her to stand still when her beloved companion was being hurt, even if it was to help the clan.

"Ryu," Shinrei said as he walked over and held his hand out to the little boy, "Hishigi needs your help again today."

"Can't Ruru-Chan come with me this time?" Ryu pleaded, looking up at his master with guiless red eyes.

Those golden irises softened for a moment and the child smiled a little in return. True Shinrei was stern and serious most time but he knew that the man cared about him a great deal and bent his strict code of conduct for him more than anyone else. His master opened his mouth and Ryu stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to say "yes."

However, Hishigi's cool voice broke in before the water-master could respond with a soft, "Ryu will be enough."

The little boy's hopes withered and died. Shinrei would not directly defy one of the Taishirou and he turned his head to stare into Ruru's pink gaze as his master pulled him away with gloved hands and picked him up, settling his small head in the crook of his neck.

"The child is capable of walking, Shinrei," Hishigi said.

"Yes, but we can get to your lab faster if we don't have to wait for him to catch up," even as Shinrei spoke the words, he tightened his hold on Ryu and the boy knew he was comforting him in his own way. It was the closest he was going to get to an apology for his master's inability to grant his request.

Pushing his nose against the man's shoulder, Ryu breathed in his familiar scent - searching for some sort of reassurance - and stared after Ruru as he was carried across the room and through the doors. His last sight before the doors closed with a final 'thump' was her face etched with concern for him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So my thoughts are I want Yuya to be stronger but I don't expect her to be crazy powerful. There is a certain line that she just won't cross and that is the taking of someone else's life. I know some people who read the manga find her annoying because she started off relatively strong and couldn't keep up in fighting ability as the story progressed but it wouldn't have made sense for someone like her - with only four years of training - to whip the butt of _anyone_ in the Mibu. By the time they made it to Aokigahara, they were already fighting humans she couldn't handle because Kyo is the sort to attract people like that. I really think she was destined to wind up dead in a ditch if Kyo hadn't altered her life.

I don't hold it against her though because she, being who she is, is what made Kyo fall in love with her. She is a strong young woman and a genuinely sweet person and the separation of her from the rest of his fighting crowd removes her from the pool of what he views as competition in his mind. This forces him to consider her on her own merits as a person. I feel he trusts her specifically because she isn't a warrior and is therefore not driven by the need to be the best and conquer him in the process. Let's not forget her obvious trust in him even though he's mean to her at first. Hence why she can get a hit in on him and no one else. I've said it before, but Yuya is a singularly unique existence in Kyo's world and it shows loud and clear in his actions which is why I think they are such an awesome couple.

Anyways, I'm blathering on. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think. Also, don't worry, Yuya won't get too angsty since I'd have to reach through the screen and slap her myself if I went down that road. ;-)

P.S. Why do you like Kyo and Yuya as a couple?


	4. Suspicion and Redemption

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Glad you enjoyed. Shinrei cares a great deal for Ryu but he's limited by his own loyalty to the Mibu), **Rinfantasy** (No, Ryu has black hair. I'll have a description in this chapter. I love Yuya to bits and agree that she is a very well done and strong character. I think people who complain about her not fighting like the others are missing the point of her character.), **demon89** (I love Yuya's relationship with Kyoshiro because she is one of the few people who treats him like a normal person and you can tell he loves that about her. I'm glad you understand where Muramasa was coming from. Also, as for why they need to examine Ryu, remember that they wanted Kyo not just for his blood but also to get him to reproduce which isn't happening thus far. Ryu is plan B.), **lmamc** (Agreed about the two of them being a complement), **ThunderxShadow** (Yuya will eventually be reunited with her son but I can't promise that it'll be soon. Agreed on their romance. I usually hate couples in shounen manga because the heroines tend to be pretty one-dimensional. There are a few exceptions like Bulma and Vegeta because they are literally perfect for each other to the point that you don't necessarily need to see how they get together - although the Battle of the Gods movie showed that he loves her to death. I'm with you on Kyo/Yuya being one of the absolute best couples ever. For once, we have an anti-hero who has a believable romance with a woman who isn't the stereotypical sweet doormat), **kyoandyuya** (I believe Shinrei performs his technique by calling on water spirits named Undine but yes, he does use dragons to attack.), **magicalnana** (Glad you like Ryu, he is fun to write), **Samta22** (I'm happy you checked back and enjoyed Midori no Me. Thank you for taking the time to read. I agree on your reasons for liking Kyo/Yuya and the quote you chose was excellent.)

 **Japanese Note:** Yome (alternatatively musuko no yome) is daughter-in-law

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Three**

 **Suspicion and Redemption**

Sometimes, Shinrei wondered if there was more to the Mibu Reconstruction Plan than he'd been told. After the events of four years ago, he had fallen into his assigned role of Mibu guardian and subject once more but the fervor he'd once held had taken a hit and more often he found himself feeling leery of the approaches being used to find a cure for the Death Disease. Sometimes, on days like this where he had to stand by and observe as Hishigi drew blood samples and tested the abilities of the small boy sitting on his table, he wondered why he had maintained such hope in the plan.

The Taishirou had been working on a cure for years and yet they now had an over-abundance of manufactured Mibu clan members - a part of Fubuki's strategy to reclaim the respect humans had once had for the clan. Worse yet, no relief was in sight for the people who were dying save using their abilities to halt time for a fortunate few who weren't too far along. He was not comfortable with a Mibu clan that was given so many promises but received very little in the way of results despite the sheer effort that was being poured into their project. It was hard to admit to himself, but things were not going well.

As his disgruntled thoughts swirled around in his head, he watched Ryu grimace and squirm away from the needle Hishigi tried to poke in his arm and unconsciously clenched his fists, forcing himself not to stride over and whisk the child away so he could stop his discomfort.

Shinrei had tried to fight it - knowing Ryu was not his and that the boy would be angry when he found out that his real father had been in the same building as him for years and his master knew it - but it was a lost cause. The young man worked hard at keeping his distance, separating their relationship into one of master and student the way Fubuki had done to him as a child but he found himself making concessions for his pupil constantly. He spent the most time educating the boy in the basics even though any number of servants could have accomplished it. He tried to instill in him a sense of duty and loyalty to the clan. Given time, he would probably even be the one to teach him how to fight when he came of age.

However, his duties as a master had eventually melded into those of a parent and he wondered when it was that he softened enough to come to the child's aid when he had a bad dream. Or when he no longer viewed it as wrong to want to protect him from the pain that inevitably followed when he went to Hishigi's lab for experimentation. He wondered why he felt no shame at imagining that he had found a wife and that Ryu was the product of that union and therefore his, free and clear. He'd prefer that fantasy instead of the very real memory of Kyo, prostrating himself before his monstrous teacher to save his wife and child. Or of Ryu's mother, Yuya, laying there with sad green eyes and blood covering her lips.

The haunting guilt over his hand in their tragic circumstances was at constant war with his love for a child who was not his and it was exhausting. Perhaps the punishment for his sins was the fact that Ryu - a name he had once reserved for when he had a child of his own - looked almost exactly like his father had around his age, give or take a couple of years.

The boy was missing Kyo's red highlights but everything else was the same, down to the color of his blood-red irises. The only nod to his mother was the shape of his eyes, which were rounder and gave him a guiless look. However, he often suspected that behind that innocent gaze lay a very keen mind and he wondered if the boy knew more than he let on. Whatever the case, he understood that things could not continue on as they had. Eventually, Ryu was going to have to find out the truth about his real parents and Shinrei didn't enjoy living a lie - no matter how wonderful aspects of it were.

There were other matters to consider as well. Even though raising Ryu was a pleasant interlude rather than a duty, the hard part came when he had to visit the other side of the tower - a place that his surrogate son and most of the clan were not allowed to access - and interact with the boy's father. He and the other members of the Goyosei had been tasked with keeping Kyo occupied, giving him an outlet to release the aggression and competitiveness that was so deeply ingrained into his being. For Kyo, the Taishirou had made into reality the story of his redemption and acceptance into the clan and the Five Stars did their best to maintain the illusion and temper his restless spirit. They did not want him to go wandering again.

It had worked for a while but he could see Kyo losing interest in them. He was the sort who needed a challenge and they didn't give him one, having been instructed not to push him too hard because the Elders did not want him to grow any stronger. Chinmei and Saishi generally stayed away because they weren't interested in keeping the peace and Keikoku wasn't overly enthusiastic about fighting Kyo at less than full strength. Hence, he was Kyo's most common sparring partner and he - and maybe Taihaku - had more insight than anyone into the changes the former Demon Child was going through.

If the leaders of the clan had expected him to dance to a specific tune, Shinrei suspected that they were going to be sorely disappointed because, like a gathering storm, he could see the dissatisfaction and longing in those red eyes whenever they fought. The man had to be frustrated to have his battlelust treated with the same cavalier attitude as someone taking a dog out for a walk. And his well-known, but little spoken of, problems with the carefully-crafted concubines sent to him couldn't possibly help.

Without the influence of wife and friends, there was an extra layer of wildness in Kyo and, in his most private thoughts, the water-user was certain that one day he would wake up to find that the Thousand Killer had gone off to seek greater prey than what was on offer by the clan. All storms had to break at some point.

Question was: Would he stop him if he decided to leave?

Hishigi finished up and stepped away from Ryu and Shinrei held his hands out. As he absorbed the impact of the small body that practically leapt into his arms and huddled against his chest, the answer was not as clear-cut as it had once been.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyoshiro sighed as he unpiled the mountain of firewood that was burying the fire pit. Aiko kept wanting to "help" but he gently moved her away and told her to watch him to make sure he stayed safe from the "dangerous" slide of wood. In truth, he wanted to make sure she wouldn't get hurt trying to help him. She was such a selfless child, just like her mother even though Yuya had lost her way for a bit. The former assassin knew well the sort of damage prolonged grief could do and hoped that Muramasa would set things straight and that his daughter-in-law would realize that his heart had been in the right place.

 _'Just might take a while for her to understand,'_ he thought as he gathered up a bundle of wood and carted it back over to the original pile.

Kyo's daughter sat on a nearby log and watched as he went back and forth until the wood she had placed on the pit was down to a manageable size.

"Are you going to make breakfast, Kyoshiro Ji-Chan?" she asked, pointing at the un-cooked food sitting next to the pit.

"Sure Ai-Chan. I just need to get the fire started," he said with a smile.

She waited with unusual patience as he started to prepare their meal and he puzzled over what was going on in her small mind as she picked up a stick and started to trace aimless designs in the dirt. Aiko wasn't the sort of child to hold still for very long unless she was worried about something but he knew waiting for her to figure out the phrasing for her inquiry was best. As Kyoshiro stirred the pot hanging over the fire, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. When she was her usual cheerful self, she favored her mother very strongly but at times like this, when she was deep in thought and her narrow red eyes were half-shadowed by her eyelids, she bore a striking resemblance to her father.

He wondered if Yuya saw it too and, if so, how it affected her. For some reason, he wasn't surprised that the question that came out of Aiko's mouth was about her mother.

"Since Kyoshiro Ji-Chan is back, does that mean Kaa-Chan is too?"

He kept half-an-eye on the food as he nodded briefly and said, "Yes, she is."

"Is...," she paused and fidgeted a little, taking the stick in her hands and alternately bending and straightening it as she tried to think of what to say next.

The former assassin paused in his stirring and turned to look at her fully, studying her body language and deciding that a little coaxing was in order to bring her around to her point.

Sighing inwardly because he suspected that the food was going to be a little burnt, he stood and walked over to Aiko, kneeling down and placing a hand on her red-blonde hair. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes for a second before staring at the stick she was manipulating.

"It's alright to ask me whatever you want, Ai-Chan," he said gently.

She pursed her lips a bit and then asked quietly, "Is Kaa-Chan staying? I don't like it when she leaves."

Kyoshiro chose his words carefully because he didn't want to get her hopes up in case Muramasa couldn't get through to Yuya.

"I hope so Ai-Chan. Your grandfather is having a nice long talk with her."

She nodded and twirled the stick for a moment before asking, "Is Kaa-Chan hurt bad this time?"

He raised his brows in surprise since they had specifically taken such care to sneak into the house via the back to hide Yuya's condition from her daughter. They'd underestimated how observant the child could be.

Aiko darted a glance at him again before saying, "Aiko knows you go in the back when Kaa-Chan is hurt. And Kyoshiro Ji-Chan smells like her blood."

His discomfort with the conversation kicked up a notch and he decided to try and divert her line of questioning by saying, "Your mom is going to be alright. Muramasa is talking to her now. We are going to see about getting your father back."

The twig in her hand snapped and her head whipped up as she stared at him in shock. Like the sun breaking from the cover of clouds, her lips spread into a grin and then morphed into a wide smile as she exclaimed, "I'm going to see my Tou-Chan?!"

Kyoshiro didn't bother trying to temper her enthusiasm as she stood and performed a little dance of excitement. Even if Yuya didn't come around, there was no need to bring Aiko's expectations down. It was time to get the ball rolling on saving his lost friend and reclaiming the love of his life. Sakuya had been waiting a total of eight years for him to get himself together and break her chains and it was long past time for him to give her what she deserved.

Things needed to change for everyone, because he wasn't sure how much longer he could resist the pull to return the Mibu. His days with Muramasa, Yuya, and his beloved niece were going to come to a close soon enough because his creator wanted him back - he could feel the seductive pull of his blood calling him home - and if he waited too long he wasn't going to be of use to anyone.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya woke to the feel of cool fingers stroking her brow and opened her eyes to stare at her father-in-law's serene face. It took only a split-second to remember what he'd told her about her missing son and she jerked her head away, fighting the urge to slap the placid look off of his face. How he could sit there, looking as if he hadn't told her something that had shaken her to her core, mystified her and she screwed her eyes shut, turning her head away from him as she tried to get her emotions together.

She circulated from rage, to pain, to sorrow, and back again before licking her dry lips and asking in a tired voice, "Why?"

"Why didn't I tell you or why isn't he here now?"

"Both."

She felt the air stir above her head as he moved to touch her again and instinctively reached up to block his hand with her hers.

"Please don't touch me right now, Muramasa-San," she said, dropping the familiar "Otou-Sama" in favor of a mere acquaintance's form of address.

"At least look at me, Yuya...Yome."

Though his voice was calm, she knew that the distance she had placed between them had hurt him and a petty part of her wanted to demand that he not even use the familiar "Yome" but she didn't voice it. He could hear it anyways through his Satori as well as feel how upset she was and there was no need to grind salt into either of their wounds.

"I can't look at you right now because you were right, I _do_ want to hurt you. I'm so mad at you and at myself. How could I not know I have another child? How could you not tell me?"

"I wanted to tell you. Kyoshiro actually urged me to tell you about a year ago when you really started to hunt bounties seriously."

"Wait, Kyoshiro knew as well?!"

This time she actually did turn to look at him, glaring at him for teaming up with the one other person nearby that she thought she could trust.

"Don't get mad at him. I insisted that you weren't ready yet. That we needed a bit more time to plan. I was trying to protect you and Aiko."

She sat up then and stared at him fully, trying to figure out what he could possibly have been protecting her from by keeping such important information from her. She had a son who didn't know her and she never even got a chance to hold him. He might have been protecting her physical person but he darn sure hadn't given a thought to treating her emotional state with as much care.

He flinched slightly and she knew that he was reading her unvoiced thoughts loud and clear. Deciding to take the high road, for now, she took a deep breath and dialed her fury back as best she could. Even though anger could sustain her sometimes, she didn't enjoy holding onto it and she was still speaking to Muramasa who - while enigmatic sometimes - had demonstrated time and again that he truly cared for her. He at least deserved to have her hear him out.

"Thank you, Yuya," he said softly before tentatively reaching out and placing a hand on the fists she had clenched in her lap. His daughter-in-law didn't clasp it but she didn't remove it either and he gave her a soft smile tinged with sadness that battered at her naturally forgiving heart.

"I know what I did might seem unforgivable but please understand that I hurt just as much. I only got to see him for a moment before he was gone, Yuya. All I know of my grandson is that he has black hair and a good set of lungs. I've seen how much you love Aiko and it saddens me to think that her brother hasn't had the same opportunity to know such a kind mother."

She said nothing as she quietly absorbed his words and watched his body language. His shoulders were slumped, as if he were genuinely tired. And while his face was calm, she could see cracks in that façade where heartache and regret had taken up residence. For the first time since she'd known him, he looked as if he'd aged.

It gradually dawned on her that he really _was_ mourning as well, except he'd had no one save Kyoshiro to talk to and he wouldn't have necessarily laid himself bare to the other man the way he would with Yuya. There was always the barrier of Mibu servant and Elder between the two of them while, with her, she was his primary link to his son - the boy he'd spent so much of his exile with.

As she contemplated her time spent with him, she received a glimmer of understanding. And she understood for the first time that Muramasa had truly been a stranger in a strange land. A man who had once been considered a god that had stepped down to live amongst the filth of humanity - with only the wild child that his clan hated to keep him company. He'd pinned his hopes on Kyo and having his only pupil and son captured by the Mibu had to have been a blow to both his faith and his emotions.

With a sudden clarity, she saw that he was telling the truth and that, whatever the circumstances, he was suffering as well and had probably been doing so for longer than she'd been alive.

As if her realization were a signal, he began to talk, telling her in that soft voice about the stormy night of her labor and delivery, the joy of holding Aiko for the first time, and their unexpected visitors. He told her how he had hidden her daughter and returned to find Saishi and Saisei hovering over her and Shinrei's silent warning about what they would do to her if he interfered before they were done. She learned just how close she'd been to bleeding to death and that Muramasa had to break his own calm to raise his killing aura and warn Saishi's away from her plan to kill her anyways once they removed her boy.

She also saw that they had saved both her life and that of her child, albeit unintentionally, and heard of Shinrei's promise to look after her son - something she was only half-shocked by when she thought about his previous words and action. More than anything she saw his shame and embarrassment at being helpless to chase them down and stop them because he knew his disease would render him useless and therefore unable to stop her flow of blood or care for her freshly born daughter.

He'd wanted to go after them but his health and concern for her had prevented him and her heart ached to see and hear of his vulnerability. It was obvious that he hated his illness and longed for a level of power and vitality that had been stolen from him in the course of his slow death. Having seen for herself what using his power did to him four years ago, she didn't want to think of what would happen now after his disease had progressed.

As Yuya saw and heard what was said and unsaid, the angry, self-contained woman she'd been gradually morphing into while she strived to be someone she wasn't was pushed aside in favor of the empathetic person she truly was. She slowly unclenched her fists and turned them upwards until she was cupping his hand in hers.

He offered her a cautious smile as he reached the end of his narration and she quietly rubbed her fingers against his, noting that they had grown narrower over the past few years. Actually, he was thinner too and she could see frailty settling across his shoulders like a cloak. If felt like he would disappear entirely if she took her eyes off of him. Everything about him screamed exhaustion and she realized that she probably hadn't helped any by constantly going off to hunt bounties and assuming that he could handle her putting her life on the line just because he was always so calm.

His earlier words about worrying for her safety whenever she left came back to her and she realized that she had treated him quite poorly indeed and needed to acknowledge that to both herself and him.

"I've been hurting you for a while now, haven't I, Otou-Sama?" she asked quietly and his smile widened at her acknowledgement of their relationship once more.

"I know you didn't mean it, Yuya. And please don't take it the wrong way when I say I've wanted to tell you about your son for a while now, but I was worried that you would behave recklessly and go off to confront the Mibu yourself. Please understand that I care about you personally, not just because you are my son's wife."

"Thank you for caring. I'm still upset but forgiving you is easier now that I know why you waited. I have to shoulder my part of the blame for making your confidence in me waver."

Running a hand through her hair, she gave him a self-deprecating smile as she said, "I've been acting like a fool. I just wish there was more I could do."

"The only thing you've ever needed to do was be yourself. Strength is not always dictated by how well one can swing a sword and kill one's enemies. Leave that part to Kyo and your other friends. It's all fine and good to talk of beating your enemies but once your hands are stained with blood, there is no going back and your group - and especially my son - _need_ someone with a different perspective. It is what allows us to become better than we are, to separate the indiscriminate killers from the people who do what it takes to protect their precious ones."

Muramasa paused as a shadow fell over his face and he leaned back before turning to stare out of the window. There wasn't much to see outside but forest and yet she knew that he wasn't looking at the outside world at all.

"Muramasa...," she began as she reached for his sleeve.

He didn't look at her as he said quietly, "Since we are being so honest with each other, Yome, I'll tell you another secret I've held onto for the past four years. Even though I speak of doing what needs to be done, I failed you and Kyo spectacularly."

"I don't understand."

For some reason, he looked as if he were going somewhere far away for a moment and she reflexively fisted her hand in his sleeve, as if she could forcibly pull him back.

"I should have died like I planned to when I promised to train Kyo."

"Otou-Sama...," she said but he continued on like she hadn't spoken.

"I _knew_ that I needed to push him harder but I was selfish. I wanted to linger amongst the living and see you two happy and healthy. I wanted to hold my grandchild, just like you said."

"Sometimes," he closed his eyes and she reached forward, drawing him into an embrace and, for once, he was the one resting his head on her shoulder.

"I wish I had ignored your words and those pleading eyes of yours," he continued, "You don't realize how powerful you are, Yuya. Whether intentional or not, you make men like us dream of better times and brighter futures. Maybe if I had been strong enough to resist your pleas, I could have done more to prepare Kyo."

For some reason, his words caused annoyance to blossom in her chest. If she wasn't allowed to wallow in self-pity, he didn't get to do it either and she straightened her back before putting her hands on his shoulder and forcing him away.

"Now that is just asinine," she said and he blinked, unused to her bluntly criticizing him.

"I'd rather have you alive than know that you died to make Kyo stronger. Sacrifices are for battle, not for training, and you don't _know_ if that would have helped Kyo in the end or not. From the moment we set foot on the Mibu lands, they conspired to trap Kyo and used me at every turn to do it. Don't tell me not to blame myself and then go ahead and do it to yourself. That sort of hypocrisy doesn't fly here."

He stared at her in surprise and she blushed, realizing that she had just given a set down to a man who was not only her father-in-law but also thousands of years old. Add to that the fact that he had been a high-official to the Mibu once and you got someone who likely wasn't used to being spoken to with less than the utmost respect - Kyo notwithstanding.

Those blue eyes were swimming with all sorts of emotions but the one that emerged had her sighing in relief internally. His lips spread bit by bit until he was smiling and then she heard something there had been a sore lack of for quite some time. It started in his chest, then worked it's way up until he opened his mouth and let out a chuckle that turned into warm laughter.

She felt her heart lighten and, before long, she had joined him in his mirth and they sat there together, father and daughter, enjoying each other's company in a way they hadn't for a long while now.

Eventually, they came back down and looked at each other, feeling closer the way a family ought to and she asked, with a smile, "So, how about we talk about getting my man and my boy, back?"

"That sounds like a good idea. There's just one question."

She raised a brow as she replied, "Oh, what's that?"

"Knowing Kyo, which one is which?"

She couldn't help it. Hearing Muramasa, who was always so composed, cracking a joke was too much and she burst into laughter again.

It was a beautiful feeling and her heart felt lighter than it had in years.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Not far from Muramasa's home was a village that was at least two day's travel from pretty much everywhere. It had no landmarks of note and no particular specialties and therefore generally remained out of sight and mind of travelers. From time to time, Muramasa and Kyoshiro would visit to pick up necessities and over the years the people had gotten used to them. The former Elder was believed to be a hermit who kept to himself and the former assassin was merely a medicine peddler who sold potions and salves that were useful but also tended to have questionable side-effects.

Whatever the case, visitors were far and few between and that went doubly so for people like the woman who made her way down the street at a measured pace as she looked from one side of the road to the other. The people in the town stopped to stare and listen as the shakujo in her hand landed on the ground with a musical tap in tandem with her steps. The fact that she was traveling by herself wasn't cause enough for the stares, nor was it the fact that she wore the robes of a priestess. Rather, it was a sort of glamour that hung about her person. Her pink hair was done up in a stylish hairdo and her eyes were an exotic shade of violet. The face that framed those captivating eyes was pretty but mysterious, as she had a secret only she knew about.

Therefore, it was no wonder that shortly after entering the village, the headman's son - by the name of Akio - approached her, intending to chat her up a bit because he fancied himself a ladies man. That she was a priestess was of no concern since he was game for anything with breasts and the gorgeous visitor was a cut above the farm girls and discrete whores he usually interacted with.

As the woman passed, Akio let out a whistle and said, "Hey beautiful, how about stopping to spend a little time with me?"

The woman paused and looked around, as if trying to figure out who he was talking to before turning to face him and quirking a brow.

"I'm on a quest to find someone," she said in a husky voice that was pleasant to listen to, "so unless you have information about him, I don't really have time to stop."

"Aww, what man could have captured the attention of a pretty girl like you?" he asked, reclining against the side of a building in a casual pose that, he felt, showed off his well-built physique.

Those violet eyes quietly assessed him from head to toe before their owner smiled secretively and replied, "A strong and fascinating one. The sort of person I'd like to be."

He thought her turn of phrase was odd but ignored it as he said, "Well, maybe there's an equally fascinating one right here."

Her face took on a faintly mocking expression that rankled a bit.

"For some reason, I doubt it. Besides, I don't have the time to deal with small fry. I know the person I'm looking for is nearby but I need a direction to go in."

Akio thought for a moment and shuffled through his memories of people who lived close by before asking, "Is the person you are looking for from this village?"

"I don't think so. He probably comes to visit from time to time but, from what I hear, he's the sort to keep to himself."

That significantly narrowed down the people she was looking for to just two that came by with any regularity - the silly medicine peddler and the weird blonde hermit who never seemed to age in the twenty-six years he'd been visiting the village.

Akio frowned because he didn't like the thought of such a beautiful woman being wasted on two such odd men. He briefly considered lying and saying that he had no idea what she meant but as he looked at her, he licked his lips and decided that it wouldn't hurt to hint around that he knew something in hopes of receiving a favor or two from her.

Casually scratching his stubbled face, he said, "Well now, I can think of a couple of men who might fit that description."

Her face lit up and she exclaimed, "Really?! Please tell me!"

His eyes traveled her form again, lingering on her breasts for longer than was proper as he said, "And what will you give me in return for my information?"

Her unusual eyes widened in understanding before narrowing until her expression was downright seductive. Slowly, she strode over to him, waving her narrow hips from side to side and mesmerizing him with their movement. He dragged his eyes up from those pert breasts to stare into her eyes as she came closer and closer and realized after a moment that he was looking up...and up until she was standing next to him.

Akio blinked when he realized that she was almost a full head taller than him and wondered what sort of parents had produced such an incredibly tall woman. She leaned forward, placing her black-gloved left hand against the wall next to his head and stopped when her face was just inches from his.

There was something faintly menacing about her proximity, like he was about to get shaken down by a thug, but he thought he was imagining it until she pulled her lips back and bared her teeth a smile that was downright wolfish.

It completely transformed her face and he swallowed down his instinctual fear as she whispered softly, "So, you want a favor in return, do you? I'll give you something to talk about. But first," she brought her other hand up and pressed the shakujo to the wall, effectively trapping him, "won't you tell me your secrets?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sorry if it seems I wrapped Yuya's problems up in a neat little box but I can only stomach angst for her but so long. I think she is the type of person who can rise above her own problems when faced with the pain of others. She can accept comfort but she's strongest when she has others to care for, at least that's what I think. Now I can get back on track with a bit of humor.

Also, Akari is incoming. Fun times ahead. =)

As usual, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think. Hopefully I caught all of my typos.


	5. Precious Daughter and Strange Visitor

**Thanks to: PoleDancerWannaBe** (Aww, thanks. So happy you enjoy the updates), **general zargon** (See, Muramasa has a sense of humor too. =) Akari and Yuya will get along...eventually. She's still the unworthy woman who nabbed Kyo at this point.), **lmamc, Rinfantasy** (Fun times ahead), **magicalnana** (Per the authors note in the Prologue and within the context of the manga Akari is a guy here. The running joke in the manga is that, although he claims to be female, his mannerism are still very masculine, almost thuggish, and by the end of the story he leans pretty heavily towards male, at least that's how it seems to me when I re-read it to nail down his personality for this fic. That said, until Yuya figures that out, she's going to refer to him as "she."), **kyoandyuya** (Yeah, there's a lot going on. Hopefully, I don't disappoint with Akari.), **midori318** (Glad you like it but I can only go so fast. I literally had years worth of material for Midori no Me which allowed me to put out rapid-fire releases but this is a little slower as I work out kinks in the story and figure out what can be added and left out. Plus, there is always real life to deal with.),

 **Japanese Note:** Shogi is basically Japanese chess

 **Author's Note:** Hopefully everyone here has read the entire manga because otherwise Tokito's identity is a spoiler

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Four**

 **Precious Daughter and Strange Visitor**

After airing out their problems. Yuya and Muramasa decided that it was best to bring Kyoshiro in on any plans they made. Thereafter, Yuya plucked the long forgotten flower out of her father-in-law's hair - where it had been "eaten"by the bangs curling along his temple - and remarked that she could see her daughter had been busy. He smiled and told her that he didn't mind before guiding her outside so that she could see the other blooms decorating his porch.

"She is such a sweet child," Muramasa said as he watched Yuya walk down the line of flowers with a tiny smile on her face.

"I know," she replied quietly as she reached out to trace the edge of a petal with her finger before lifting the flower up and inhaling it's fragrance.

Unbidden, her mind went over their recent conversation and she wondered what sort of child her son was. Who did he favor – she or her husband? What did he like? What did he dislike? What was his favorite food? Or color? Did he know anything about his parents at all or had the Mibu kept that hidden from him? While she doubted he would hurt the boy, she wondered if Shinrei had raised him to hate his parents. Would her son be an innocent child like her Aiko or raised with a violent, fanatical devotion to the Mibu clan like most of the members she'd met?

She had so many questions and worries swirling through her head and she absently twirled the stem of the flower between thumb and forefinger until a high-pitched "Kaa-Chan" broke her out of her thoughts and sent her emerald gaze towards her daughter. Aiko was running towards her as fast as her little legs could go and she smiled brightly at her formerly only child.

Yuya descended the stairs from the porch and bent down with arms spread wide to welcome the warm bundle that slammed into her with enough force to make her sit back on the bottom step.

"You're getting strong, Ai-Chan," she said with a smile as her daughter took advantage of her newly seated position to wriggle her way into her lap and settle her head beneath her chin.

"Kyoshiro Ji-Chan says we're going to get Tou-Chan back," Aiko said without preamble and Yuya blinked in surprise before shooting a look at Kyoshiro who shrugged helplessly and offered her a sheepish smile.

She probably should have added him to the list of people to be annoyed at for keeping the knowledge of her son from her but she knew that, just like Muramasa, his heart had probably been in the right place. While it still hurt to know that she was missing yet another member of her family, she had to weigh that against the concern they'd demonstrated for her over the past four years and the fact that they were ready and willing to help her on her quest to see Kyo again and retrieve her lost child.

"Is it true, Kaa-Chan?" Aiko prompted a response to her question, pulling away so she could fix her mother with eager red eyes.

There was no way Yuya could bring her hopes down when her girl looked at her with eyes that were so like her father's. As she stared back at the child who was living proof that Kyo had loved her, she found her throat closing with emotion and could only nod and smile. There were no words to describe how much she longed to have her husband back. To feel his arms around her once more and know that he was safe. To – and she couldn't lie to herself – have him back in their bed and touching her in ways she'd never allow anyone else but him.

With the instinctive perception of a child, bolstered by the preternatural senses that her father had bequeathed to her, Aiko picked up on her mother's subtle change of mood. Her smile faded a bit and a flicker of uncertainty went through her ruby irises as she asked quietly, "Are you okay, Kaa-Chan? Is your hurt making you sad?"

"How do you know I'm hurt, Ai-Chan?" she asked, wanting a bit of time to collect herself.

"You smell like blood," the girl responded simply and Yuya didn't doubt her for a second.

Although she had thoroughly cleaned her cut, her daughter's sense of smell was just as accute as Kyo's – though he had usually reserved the mention of it for telling her how much the scent of her arousal turned him on. It made her blush whenever he bluntly told her about his body's reactions to her but the memory of what had followed his lustful words made her unconsciously lick her lips. Her husband was a very talented man.

A polite cough from behind warned her that the guard on her thoughts was slipping and her ears were burning as she hastily said, "I'll be alright. It's just a scratch. Why don't we see if Kyoshiro Ji-Chan is done burning our food?"

"Okay!" Aiko chirped, before sliding off her mother's lap and racing back over to the fire pit.

A hand appeared in her vision and she accepted Muramasa's help as he pulled her to her feet. Feeling a bit awkward that he had caught on to the sexy bend of her thoughts, she offered him an embarrassed smile and said, "Sorry, Otou-Sama."

His smile was serene as always as he replied, "It's alright and perfectly natural. I'm happy you have such pleasant memories of Kyo."

Then, without missing a beat and with a completely straight face, he continued, "Since I lost Mayumi, I miss it too sometimes."

Yuya's mind blanked for a second and then she opened and closed her mouth a few times because she wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a frank statement. Muramasa was handsome but him and sex just didn't fit on the same planet because he was...well... She couldn't even finish the thought and as she gaped at him, trying to wrap her mind around the concept of him doing _anything_ carnal, he let go of her hand and breezed past her, pausing to send her a tiny wink before continuing on his way.

His daughter-in-law stared after him for a moment before grinning, shaking her head, and following him. Just when she thought he couldn't surprise her anymore, he always managed to make her reconsider what she _thought_ she knew. At least she couldn't claim that her life was boring.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So, how is the project progressing?" the calm voice inquired and Fubuki raised himself from his customary bow to look at his ruler.

"It is going as planned, Sendai-Sama," he said, keeping his eyes down and to the side to avoid gazing disrespectfully into the face of the Mibu's "God."

"That is good news," the king said, as he tilted his bespectacled head to look down at the young girl circling his throne with a tiny smile on his lips. He held up his hand and Ruru smiled and grasped it, using it to pull herself up so she could perch on the arm of his throne.

An almost imperceptible snort of disgust sounded from behind and to the left of Fubuki and he stiffened, hoping that the king hadn't heard it and that Tokito wasn't thinking anything foolish. Of late, he had noticed a disturbing level of disrespect in her demeanor towards their sire.

It started subtly enough, with her - Fubuki hated thinking about Tokito's femininity after he and Hishigi had worked so hard to re-invent her as Muramasa's son - making snide little comments here and there. He knew the child adored and respected him - which he liked as it made controlling the carefully nurtured resentment and rage balled up inside her easier - but those positive sentiments had not transferred to the king, as was proper.

Sometimes, he feared that she saw him as the head of the Mibu more than Sendai-Sama and it was a dangerous position to take. He did not want to see her dead, even as twisted as she was. She was a valuable asset to the clan by virtue of her link to Muramasa and he ruthlessly suppressed the memory of a gentle smile and musical laughter that rose up unbidden. Sentimentality was useless and the past was dead. If he occasionally thought of her mother, he chalked it up to previous weakness and moved on.

Focusing on the present, he saw the king incline his head to the side as if listening to something before his smile widened and he asked, "Do you have something to add to this conversation, Tokito?"

The youngest Elder stirred and replied with more attitude than was proper, "I was wondering what that child has to do with the project, my lord."

"Which child? Ruru or someone else?" his voice was pleasant but Fubuki tensed anyways. Unconscious or not, Tokito's tone and question had a hint of antagonism that would get her killed if she wasn't careful.

There was an edge of insolence in her silence following his sweetly spoken questions and something that almost felt like panic unfurled in the pit of the head Elder's stomach.

The former king tilted his head in the opposite direction and stared at Tokito for a long moment before saying in light tone, "I'm afraid that's confidential for now. I've already taken the people it concerns into my counsel. It's better if you continue doing your utmost to serve the clan to the best of your ability and leave the matter of my other child alone."

That should have settled it but Tokito ignored the hint and Fubuki wondered where he had failed when instilling respect for their lord into her as she asked, "Is it a good idea to keep the child of the infamous Demon Child around the clan, to say nothing of his father?"

Fubuki unconsciously held his breath, bracing himself for the sight of seeing his comrade cut into halves. His heart was beating in his ears and he cursed himself for feeling even a sliver of concern. Tokito was being foolish. The king was the ultimate ruler and he was his faithful servant. He would not interfere with the former king's decisions but...if he were honest, he would admit that he did not want her to die, not at such a young age.

He discreetly tightened his hands into fists and waited as the king bent forward and placed his elbows on his legs before resting his head on the palms of his hands with studied nonchalance. Or perhaps it wasn't so studied when Fubuki considered that the individual before him could annihilate them all in the blink of an eye. Their god had nothing to fear from them, regardless of whether they had noble intentions or not, but Tokito wasn't old enough to have seen him in action and therefore did not maintain proper awe of him as she should.

A full minute ticked by before the king let out a long sigh and said, "Children are our future, Tokito. The wayward boy has already been readjusted and his son is hardly a threat. Your extra concern for the clan is admirable, though unwarranted. Isn't it a pity your father didn't instill a bit more trust in you?"

Although his face and tone was pleasant, Fubuki didn't miss the warning in his words. Tokito would assume he was referring to Muramasa and his absence from her life but he and Hishigi both knew the king was telling them, in his subtle way, that he would only tolerate her insolence for so long unless her _real_ father took the time to educate her.

Fubuki hadn't gotten where he was by being a fool and was grateful that Tokito had the sense to shut her mouth even though he knew she probably wanted to say something rude about her supposed father, Muramasa. Instead, he watched out of the corner of his eye as she pressed her lips together and her unnaturally young face settled into a pout as she bowed.

Deciding to make a quick exit so that he could work on her disrespectful attitude as soon as possible, he bowed as well and said, "I will continue to keep you up to date on our progress, my liege. For now, there are other matters that must be attended to."

The king was already stroking Ruru's head and holding his hand up so she could place her palm in his and see how their sizes compared. He was looking upon her with a fond grin and did not look at the Taishirou as he absently waved them away and said, "I'm sure you will do an admirable job, as always. Please keep me abreast of the results from the boy's tests."

"Of course, my lord," Fubuki replied, knowing that they had been dismissed.

Rising gracefully, he bowed at the waist, turned, and left the throne room at a measured pace, listening as the other Elders fell into step behind him. Hishigi and Yuan left for their own dwellings once the door was closed behind them and he stopped, catching Tokito by the arm as she made to move past him to return to her own castle.

"Wait Tokito," he said and she did as he bade, staring at him with blue-green eyes that made him uncomfortable.

No matter how much he tried to blank old memories from his mind and think of Tokito as a boy who resembled Muramasa, his infamous "father", all he saw when he looked at his daughter was Hitoki. He'd molded her into a wonderful fighter and a loyal soldier to both the Mibu and him – in much the same way he'd done with Shinrei. In what counted as an unqualified success, she had completely rejected her adulthood and her femininity, running away from her true form to be the perfect son to him. He'd never requested that she view him as a father - since down that road lay a hell that he was desperate to avoid - but he knew, without her saying a word, that she wished he was her real father instead of the hated Muramasa.

It made him uncomfortable and in his mind's eye, he could see the face his lost wife made whenever she was sad before he thrust the vision away and steeled his resolve. The past was the past and in the present, he needed to counsel Tokito about her lack of respect for their king. He told himself that it was to ensure that the workings of the clan continued to run smoothly but the image of her messy death if she wasn't careful still danced along the edges of his mind.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After enjoying a nice - if somewhat crispy - breakfast, Yuya caught Aiko up on the non-terrifying parts of her latest bounty hunting trip with Kyoshiro. After that, they spent a few hours straightening up the house slowly since her leg was being problematic. Towards the late afternoon, she took Aiko to the hot spring in the back of the house and bathed her child and then herself before heading to the room they shared.

After returning from the Mibu lands and having Aiko, she had taken over Kyo's old room in order to maintain the feeling of closeness with her husband. It hadn't been hard since he didn't own much and the space was relatively bare aside from his futon. She tried not to add too many items outside of the necessities like a chest to keep her clothes in and writing supplies for Aiko to draw and practice her name with – something she was still terrible at since her coordination wasn't up to snuff yet. There were also the odds and ends that her daughter picked up like colorful rocks, flowers, and the occasional insect husk. Like her, Aiko was insatiably curious about everything and pretty much fearless. She wouldn't have known the word discreet if it fell out of the sky and hit her on the head.

Therefore, she technically shouldn't have been shocked when, as she was brushing out Aiko's damp hair, her daughter asked quietly, "Kaa-Chan, who is Shinrei?"

Yuya nearly dropped the brush before hastily resuming her task but her hesitation was long enough for her child to notice and follow it up with another question.

"Is he a bad man?"

The young woman's mind raced, trying to work out how her child knew that name when she had been holding off going into more detail about the events of four years ago until her daughter was a bit older. All the girl knew was that her father was a really strong fighter known as Demon Eyes Kyo, who had given himself up to save her mother's life because he loved her so much. She also knew that the Mibu were dangerous people who would hurt her without second thought if she got in their way.

Yuya had left out the bulk of what had gone on years prior in favor of prepping her daughter on what to expect when she finally met her father and nurturing the unconditional love that all children seemed to have for their parents. After all, no sane person would tell their three-year-old child that both she and her husband had essentially been tormented by his own family and that, if Fubuki had his way, her children would never have survived to birth.

 _'Oh, and let's not forget the part about being cursed via a kiss, of all things,'_ she thought, _'And how about watching Kyo get torn to shreds by Shinrei's attack? Or the fact that Kyoshiro Ji-Chan killed her real uncle under orders from the clan? Or that her "real" uncle isn't even my brother and is related to my husband's ex-crush and I have no idea who I am or where I really came from?'_

The weight of just how much info she held back from her daughter was enough to make her head spin and she shook herself mentally, forcing herself to concentrate on the question at hand, which was how Aiko knew of Shinrei. Muramasa wouldn't have brought him up and she'd put a bullet in Kyoshiro if he'd breathed a word of him to her child.

Deciding that guessing wouldn't do her a bit of good, she opted for the direct approach and asked, "Where did you hear that name?"

Her daughter played with her fingers for a moment, indicating that she had been thinking about this for a while since she tended to fidget when something was on her mind, before replying, "In a dream."

Her mother blinked as she brushed the red-gold strands of her hair and said nothing for a while until Aiko started to drum her fingers against the floor nervously.

"Are you sure you didn't hear it from your uncle or grandfather?"

The child shook her head and Yuya pressed on by saying, "Aiko saw him and knew that was his name."

Yuya's heart clenched in fear, wondering if her past was coming back to haunt her. So what if Shinrei had been sort-of kind the last time she saw him and had apparently taken it upon himself to watch over her kidnapped son? She was terrified of seeing him again. There were so many bad memories attached to his first appearance in their lives and she didn't want her other child anywhere near him.

Aiko turned her head to look at her with a contemplative expression before pushing the hand holding the forgotten brush away and laying her head in her mother's lap.

"Don't be scared, Kaa-Chan," she said, peering up at Yuya with those piercing eyes. Not for the first time, she thought there was a bit of mystery lurking behind that red gaze.

Shaking herself from thoughts of her strange child, she said, "I'm not scared but I...don't care for that name."

"Why?"

"He is a big part of why your daddy is missing. But putting that aside, what did he look like?"

A part of her hoped that Aiko had just heard the name in passing or made it up and attached it to an imaginary person since she had no friends aside from their small family. However, those hopes were dashed when the girl scratched her head and furrowed her brow in concentration before speaking again.

"His hair is white and his eyes are yellow. He's in a blue dress and Aiko thinks he's pretty," since she didn't know the word for handsome, all things that looked nice to her - ranging from flowers to the one-eyed fox that sometimes showed up on their doorstep - were "pretty".

His coloring, as described by a child, was close enough to silver hair, golden eyes, and blue tunic for her to acknowledge that her daughter had somehow dreamed of a man she never wanted to see again. How and why, she didn't know, but she wanted to nail down when just in case reality was being confused for a dream and a man she'd seen in her nightmares was lurking about.

"When did you dream of Shinrei?" she prompted.

"At night," Aiko said simply.

Yuya inwardly groaned as she said, "Of course, you dream when you go to sleep but can you tell me how many days it's been?"

Aiko gave her a blank look and Yuya suspected that trying to get her child to understand the idea of time was going to be a fruitless endeavor. At her age, she only really understood the concept of recent past and the present so her mother changed tact and asked, "What else did you see in the dream?"

"The pretty man was looking at me. And Aiko _knew_ his name was Shinrei. There was a big girl there too, with red hair, and big red trees in a big room," she held her arms wide to show how vast it was, "He picked me up. Aiko thinks he does that a lot."

It was such an odd way of describing her dream, like it was a memory instead of something conjured up by her imagination. Then again, Shinrei wasn't imaginary and Yuya had encountered too much weirdness since meeting Kyo to discount anything out of the ordinary. A thought occurred and she almost dismissed it but it _was_ an explanation of sorts. She'd heard of people with extraordinary connections to specific people before. Perhaps it was related to Aiko's missing brother.

Of course, she would have to run it by Muramasa before drawing any supernatural conclusions about why her child was dreaming about people and places she'd never met or been to. Sifting through the thoughts of such a young person was incredibly hard at times and she didn't want to get ahead of herself in case there was nothing to worry about.

Instead of pushing Aiko any further, she decided to feel her out on something that was very close to her heart. With that in mind, she smiled and held out her hands and her daughter eagerly accepted her embrace, immediately forgetting the serious mood of a few moments ago in favor of enjoying her mother's attention.

"Aiko missed you so much, Kaa-Chan," the girl whispered and Yuya stroked her hair, savoring the warm vitality of her sweet child.

"I missed you too," she murmured.

"Please don't leave again," Aiko said before staring up at her with eyes that were suspiciously bright.

It was obvious that Muramasa wasn't the only one who worried about her when she was gone and Yuya tightened her grip, bending down to press a kiss to her forehead. Even though she knew she needed to leave again soon, she hoped that her reasons would make up for it and that she could avoid hurting Aiko's feelings.

"I...can't promise not to go away again...," she said and Aiko's face fell.

That small lip was just beginning to tremble when she continued quickly, "...But I can say that the next time I leave, I plan to return with your father, like I said we would earlier...and maybe someone else."

It was like the sadness had never been as her face broke out into a bright smile and Aiko exclaimed, "Really?! So next time you'll stay? Tou-Chan too?"

Yuya nodded and promised herself that she'd never let anyone or anything get in the way of fulfilling the hope she'd just gifted to her child. One way or the other, willing or unwilling, she was _going_ to bring Kyo back. At this point in time, she didn't care if she had to start over with his memory loss, seeing her husband again was an inevitability and no amount of misgivings over her lack of power could deter her. She was selfish enough to understand that, although Aiko factored into it and she looked forward to him meeting his cheerful daughter for the first time, she needed Kyo for herself - to have the other half of her heart and soul back.

They sat there trading smiles for a minute or two before her words about "someone else" finally caught Aiko's attention and she asked, "Is someone else coming too, Kaa-Chan?"

Now came the other difficult part. She'd thought long and hard about how to tell Aiko that she had a twin brother while they were doing their chores. While her daughter was sweet, she had no idea how she would react to the thought of having to share her mother with another child.

Since beating around the bush was wasted on someone so young she said directly, "I hope to find your brother too, Ai-Chan."

As it turned out, she needn't have been so nervous because the import of discovering an unknown sibling went over her daughter's head completely and Aiko asked simply, "Can I play with him?

Yuya nodded and that garnered a joyful reaction from the girl as well and she wondered if the child truly understood that a brother wasn't the same as bringing a new toy for her to play with. She had prepared her for Kyo's return and thus Aiko was happy about that but - even though they had explained the various family roles to her - her twin's existence probably wouldn't sink in until he was standing in front of her.

Deciding to leave it alone until she brought her other child back, the bounty huntress gave her daughter a pat on the head and said, "How about we get dinner going? Knowing your grandfather, he's been struggling to even boil rice for a proper meal."

Aiko giggled and raced out of the room while Yuya followed at a slower pace. On her way through the front room - where Muramasa was beating Kyoshiro badly at shogi - she stopped to pick up supplies for dinner and, nodding to the two men, continued on outside to the fire pit.

Her daughter was in the process of lugging tinder from the woodpile to the pit and she glared at Yuya when she made to help her, insisting that her mother let her do it. Since her injured leg was really starting to be a pain after a day of work, she sat on a nearby stump and allowed her child to help. Courtesy of her unusual strength, it actually didn't take very long at all for the girl to add the requisite amount of wood for a good fire and Yuya set about preparing the food once they had a nice flame going in the pit.

After setting the food up to cook, she sat back down on her stump and admired the gorgeous reds and violets of the sky as evening began to chase the sun back to its resting place below the horizon. Aiko ran around her seat, unwilling to stray too far lest her mother leave again and she "oohed" and "aahed" appropriately when the girl showed her an interesting stick or a random skull of some long dead rodent.

She closed her eyes and allowed the tension of the past few days to flow out of her, daydreaming about what she would do and say when she saw her husband again and met her son for the first time. She was half dozing when a sudden silence caught her attention and she opened her eyes to see Aiko standing stock-still between her and the fire pit, her entire being radiating an unnatural state of quiet alertness.

Those keen eyes were focused forward and, without looking at her mother, she said softly, "Someone's coming, Kaa-Cha. I hear it."

Since she wasn't blessed with ridiculously good hearing like her child, Yuya had to take her at her word. Standing up, she took her child's hand in hers and led her into the house. She ran into Kyoshiro on his way out, sword in hand, and they nodded to one another as she walked over to Muramasa and handed Aiko over before returning to her room to grab her knives and gun. As she neared the front room again she finally heard it, the sound of chimes, and her steps unconsciously hastened.

No one, save Sasuke two years prior, had ever paid them a visit as long as she'd been there. To her knowledge, no one knew exactly where Muramasa lived and, even if they did, they gave him the wide berth befitting a supposed hermit. The only other people who had ever come by were enemies sent by the Mibu and, in light of Aiko's bizarre knowledge about Shinrei's existence, she was feeling extra apprehensive about who their visitor might be. As she passed through the front doorway, she offered up a silent prayer that the clan hadn't decided to finish what they'd started years ago just when she was about to get her husband and child back.

Squinting, she saw a lone form picking it's way up the nearly invisible path leading to Muramasa's house and listened to the pleasant sound of chimes which emanated from what she was fairly certain was a shakujo in the person's hand. It was something a priest usually carried but she didn't let her guard down because a stranger was a stranger and some of her bounties were not above disguising themselves as holy men to take advantage of people.

Kyoshiro made sure he was positioned between the visitor and her and she was silently grateful for his presence. He always did his utmost to ensure she was safe and she knew he loved Aiko to death. Her daughter was his one and only precious niece and she wondered if it was his way of making up for the wrongs he'd done to Kyo and herself because he couldn't look into her little face without seeing Kyo's eyes staring back at him. Whatever burden of guilt he carried, she was content to take Muramasa's advice and rely on her friends a bit more. If he was going to be the front guard, then she would bring up the rear and back him up to the best of her ability.

The tension in the air mounted as the person came close enough for her to start picking out their features. The first thing she noticed was that the individual was very tall with hair that was an incredible shade of pink. It was a color she'd never seen on a person in her life and the long locks were done up in a long ponytail that cascaded from the top of their head down to their waist. The next thing she noted was that the person was female with a nice shape draped in the long white kimono of a priestess. It was trimmed in black and red with a black under kimono - it was more like a shirt, really - that rose up to cover half of her neck. The under kimono was a bit odd, as was the single black glove covering her left hand and Yuya wondered if there was a scar or something that she was hiding.

The last thing she saw was the woman's eyes. They were a startlingly beautiful shade of violet and Yuya wondered where she could possibly have gotten them as the unknown female stopped ten or so feet away from Kyoshiro and raised her gloved hand in a graceful wave as she greeted them with a confident and cheerful, "Yoohoo!"

Yuya wasn't sure what to make of such a perky salutation but she did feel her hackles rise when those uncanny eyes moved from Kyoshiro to her and examined her thoroughly before dismissing her as uninteresting. She might have taken more offense if she hadn't remembered that she was supposed to be happy that the woman didn't seem to be looking for a fight. It still hurt her pride a bit though.

The other female ignored her entirely as she took another step closer to Kyoshiro, causing her shakujo to sound with a musical tinkle, and said, "Hmm, a handsome, blue-eyed swordsman. You _must_ be Kyoshiro."

The bounty huntress didn't need to see the swordman's face to know he'd been caught off-guard but she saw his body relax slightly and figured that he must not see the pretty stranger as a threat. She wanted to follow suit but - call it female intuition - there was something slightly antagonistic about the woman that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Whatever the feeling was, she held her position and listened closely as Kyoshiro asked cautiously, "If I may ask, who are you and why are you here?"

A loud gasp sounded and that singular gloved hand flew to her generous mouth in shock as if she couldn't fathom why they didn't know who she was. Yuya inwardly laughed and rolled her eyes at how dramatic the priestess was but her amusement took a flying leap off the nearest cliff when she heard the next words out of her mouth.

"I can't believe Kyo never told you! I'm here to see Muramasa and as for why," she blushed and cupped her own cheeks like she was a shy maiden instead of a woman who had just climbed a mountain to get there and was almost as tall as her husband.

Yuya's hand twitched with the urge to slap something and that "something" switched to a "someone" when those laughing violet eyes sought her out as their owner finally deigned to acknowledge her presence and she said, with a sly smile, "I'm Akari, Kyo's fiancee."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Before you get scared, don't worry, Akari and Yuya will eventually become friends but don't forget, he was originally pretty mean to Yuya. He didn't think she was good enough for Kyo and there was a bit of jealousy since Kyo was the first real friend he had ever had and he hadn't moved past the possessive stage until gaining more friends over the course of the manga. Yuya didn't have time to work her magic until the events with Santera and Mekira. ;-)

Also, Aiko having some sort of ability popped in my head when I thought about the king's belief that Yuya was some kind of seer. We know she couldn't see the future but I must admit that her gift for saying the right things at the right time and her ridiculous level of empathy made her so unique that I got to wondering: What if she _was_ like a shaman? We have no clue where she came from and I know that shamans can have a variety of abilities that the Mibu don't have. No, Yuya doesn't have powers or anything like that in this fic but it's always possible that she could produce a child with a unique ability or sensitivity. There needs to be some sort of perk to Aiko being half-human and having Kyo for a dad is bound to make all sorts of genetically interesting things happen. =)

That said, I have no plans for a hokey version of Jean Grey-style psychic powers but I did want Aiko to be a little unique and carry Yuya's ability to empathize to another level. Maybe someday, I'll write a what-if fic about where Yuya came from but not sure. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you think.

More excitement and coming up!

P.S. At some point I am going to have to move Aiko past referring to herself in the third person. Having a three-year-old in RL, I can confirm that they do indeed call themselves by name but the (somewhat lax) grammar nazi in me hates having to do it for the sake of accurate portrayal. _


	6. Explosive Priestess and Fierce Wife

**Thank to: midori318** (Glad you liked the chapter. I'm going to do my best to dodge making a fic where the main characters have kids and it then proceeds to do nothing but focus on them. Also, yeah, giving Aiko Jean Gray powers would be the fastest way to turn this into a Mary Sue fic, bleh.), **lmamc** (Thanks! And I agree on Yuya's parentage. Her looks are very westernized), **Amacor16** (If you made it this far into the sequel after reviewing the last chapter of Midori no Me then, YAY! I'm happy you enjoyed the story and I hope the melancholy tone in the beginning of this fic didn't scare you off. I plan to dole out as many happily ever afters as I can get away with.^_^), **kyoandyuya** (Hmm, I considered giving Aiko the ability to see the future but decided to leave that to Sakuya. What she has would be more along the lines of an empath with a particularly strong connection to her brother. Y'know, "Wonder Twin Powers Activate"! As for Akari, heck no, Yuya isn't going to roll over and feel guilty. She snagged Kyo fair and square and no hussy is coming between her and her man. ;-P), **Rinfantasy** (See my response to kyoandyuya above you. I'm going to do my best not to make it cheesy. Remember, Shamans have abilities that aren't native to the Mibu - for Aiko it's courtesy of her human mother - which is why they are considered a threat and were collected by the clan.), **magicalnana** (Thanks! I can't wait to write about the family reunion. Kyo with kids is bound to be amusing.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Five**

 **Explosive Priestess and Fierce Wife**

 _'There was a scar on her stomach.'_

The thought came to him out of the blue and he faltered for just a moment but it was enough to force him to take a step back lest he catch a sword across the ribs.

"What's wrong with you, Kyo-San?" his opponent asked, lowering his blade and staring at him with concern-filled golden eyes.

No matter how many years he'd been back in the clan now, Kyo still had a hard time dealing with Taihaku's kindness. Suspicious by nature, he maintained his distance from the older man at first until gradually realizing that the head of the Goyosei was sincere in his efforts to help him to adjust. He was also the only person who affixed a respectful "-San" to the end of his name. The Thousand Killer did not seek him out in friendship but tolerated his presence more than most and the stolid samurai was the only person who provided him with a modicum of relief from his driving need to fight by subtly pushing his skills further, bit by bit.

Perhaps that was why he was so perturbed at having his dream woman intruding on his match with Taihaku. It was all fine and good for her to seduce him at night because it was harmless - his life wasn't dancing on the edge of a blade when he was asleep. But he didn't appreciate her interference in his waking hours and certainly not over something as innocuous as a scar.

"Kyo-San?" Taihaku prompted him again and he flicked red eyes over to look at his tanned face, analyzing the expression he saw.

The warrior's eye's were gentle, as always, but sometimes he felt there were secrets lurking there. And that was one of the things that bothered him as a child and continued to bother him as an adult. Those infamous Mibu secrets that lingered in every nook and cranny like cobwebs. More than once, he'd caught the other man opening his mouth as if he had something he wanted to say but the words never came to pass. Like the other people he interacted with on a regular basis, it felt like there was something they knew that he didn't. A shared confidence that hung in the air but was never verbally acknowledged. Though they claimed to accept him, the feeling of being trapped refused to fade and he tightened his grip on his sword.

"It's nothing. Let's get this match finished."

Those golden irises moved from his face to the rest of him, assessing the tension that had taken up residence in his shoulders, and their owner sighed before sheathing his blade and bending down to retrieve the leopard-printed scarf he usually wore. Kyo had snagged and jerked it loose during their match - a feat unto itself because the large man was no slouch.

"I think it's time to call it a day. Night time is almost upon us and I can see that your head isn't in it. Whatever is going on with you, it isn't "nothing". I won't pry too deeply, but I hope you'll tell me what could possibly distract you enough to make you falter in the midst of battle. That isn't like you."

As he watched those brown hands winding the scarf around his neck before tucking it down the front of his haori, the younger warrior mentally went over how he would respond. There were questions he wanted to ask but few answers he was willing to give in return. His lustful dreams were private and his pride held him back from mentioning his failures with the women who had come to seduce him over the years. Still, he found himself curious as to why they seemed so intent on sleeping with him in the first place when he almost never interacted with the rest of the clan. He also wanted to know why the last few women had looked so similar to each other.

Kyo sheathed his sword as his mind seethed with confusion and he automatically took a step back when Taihaku reached out to clasp his shoulder. It was something the man did with his subordinates and Kyo tended to avoid any kind of physical contact with him and the rest of the warriors. Being affectionate just wasn't in his nature and being touched had all too often been accompanied by pain in his life. He just couldn't bring himself to trust the Mibu enough to let them lay hands on his person.

In truth, he didn't trust _anyone_ to put their hands on him save the whores he encountered in the past and that was because they were generally harmless. Even contact during sex wasn't a matter of trust, more like necessity to get what he wanted out of the women. The only person he had ever voluntarily allowed to touch him without reserve dwelled in his dreams.

 _Her hands were so soft and gentle as they explored him._

 _"Kyo."_

 _Her voice was breathy, slightly tremulous as if she weren't quite sure what would please him but with an earnest undercurrent that struck a chord in him...warmed him._

 _Oh... he could listen to her all day. Let her touch him with those slender fingers for a lifetime._

He grit his teeth.

Her _again_? What was so special that woman? Why had his mind supplied an answer to his question about the uneven skin he'd felt on her belly in his latest fantasy? Why had he imagined a flaw there in the first place? It was such an odd detail to add since most men would opt for a woman who was perfect in every way. Who got turned on by a female with scars?

 _Was she real?_ The sensations she evoked in him certainly felt _real._ So much so that, if he thought hard enough, he could still taste the salt from her skin on his tongue and he just _knew_ that she liked the way his hair slid across her body when they made love.

 _Made love?!_

Where had that come from? What he had was sex, plain and simple. Wild and satisfying with no strings attached and the freedom to move on at his leisure when he was done. It was infinitely better than wasting away as some woman's permanent slave like most men he met who settled down and got married.

"Come, Kyo-San, tell me what is on your mind," Taihaku's deep voice interrupted him and he turned his attention back to the present. He took a moment to consider the questions he was actually willing to ask versus the ones he preferred to stew over in the privacy of his mind.

"I have been here for a while now," Kyo said after a second with a carefully neutrally tone and the other man nodded for him to go on.

"Is there something significant about blonde women with green eyes?"

He had to give Taihaku his due for maintaining his cool and not altering his expression one whit but he sensed, rather than saw or heard, the caution in his response as he replied, "Significant to the Mibu? No."

His answer was noteworthy in that it revealed something that the other man was unwilling to say directly. If the women weren't of import to the Mibu, did that mean it had something to do with him in particular? He narrowed his eyes at his companion and said, "I seem to encounter them often of late."

The head of the Goyosei's golden brows arched up as he said, "That _does_ seem strange. Perhaps the Taishirou felt that women with that coloring would be more to your taste."

Again, there was something that wasn't being said and the older man was starting to tread on dangerous waters. Kyo usually never spoke directly of the women who were sent to him but he knew the others in the castle had to know that he couldn't perform. It was a sore point and as he stared into that tan, placid face, he chafed at how neatly he'd been boxed in. They both knew he wouldn't probe too deeply into such a humiliating subject.

Changing direction, he asked, "What do the Taishirou want from me, Taihaku?"

Frankly, he didn't expect a direct answer to his question but the older man surprised him by saying bluntly, "They want your bloodline, Kyo-San."

Kyo frowned as he repeated, "My bloodline?"

"Specifically your ability to reproduce. I'm sure you've noticed by now that you are unique among the Mibu."

"You mean the fact that they feared me for years?" he supplied a sardonic grin to indicate his thoughts on that. He didn't mind evoking fear but the treatment he'd received by the people who were supposed to be his family was not so easily forgotten.

"Yes and no. There haven't been any children born to the Mibu ever since you first appeared and desperation can cause people to do strange things. The clan is dying and the reproductive capabilities of the men and women here are disappearing with them. I believe they hope you can inject some new blood as it were."

Kyo didn't much like the thought of being used as some sort of stud but it was immaterial. At the moment he was incapable of getting out the gate let alone mounting a "mare" as it were.

"That's idiotic," he said, shaking his head, "I never wanted a kid and I haven't knocked up any of the women I slept with in the past. Who knows if I can even have a brat?"

"Maybe you just never crossed-paths with the right woman," Taihaku replied.

Kyo snorted and slung his sheathed blade over his shoulder, deciding that he was done with the conversation.

"It would take an incredible woman to get me to even consider having kids," he said as he began to stride forward, intent on heading back into the tower so he could get some relief from their uncomfortable conversation.

As he moved past the other man, he saw a tiny smile bloom on that chiseled face out of the corner of his eye and, in a tone that was just loud enough for him to hear, heard, "It would indeed. Who knows, maybe you've already met that special woman."

Kyo froze. It wasn't his imagination that time. Whether it was the inflection of his voice or the specific words he used, he knew for sure that Taihaku was hiding something and he whirled around, intending to question him further but the man was already halfway across the courtyard.

He stared after him, debating if it was worth it to chase after him before deciding that he would likely get no further without broaching subjects that he wasn't ready to discuss just yet. Sighing, he turned and entered the tower, determined to glean what he could from the dreams about his woman. And he was so caught up in mulling over Taihaku's cryptic statement that he didn't notice the possessive way in which he referred to her.

She'd gone from being just a dream female to "his woman."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Akari had to give the young woman on the porch props for not batting a lash or bursting out into tears at his bold proclamation. Of course he was half-lying. Kyo's joking promise of marriage - if he should succeed in striking his face - hardly counted as a proposal but he couldn't resist the need to stir the pot. He'd returned to the Mibu four years prior only to find that the person he admired most was in the process of having his mind tinkered with and that the man who had destroyed his life was waiting for him.

The conversation – more like one-sided argument - that ensued in Hishigi's lab once he was alone with his former master was unpleasant. And it made him angry whenever he recalled the blank expression on Hishigi's face as he calmly explained that Kyo had no need of past entanglements and that he would prefer it if his pupil left. As always, the ruination of another's life was of no concern to the clan and the only good thing to come out of the exchange was learning of the circumstances leading up to Kyo's capture.

Which brought him to his current position of looking the key culprit in Kyo's "circumstances" right in her green eyes. Long years of pushing people away once he'd determined that the rest of human race was ignorant, fearful, and useless made it easy taunt her even though she was a stranger. There was a mixed bag of anger, resentment, and jealousy swirling around inside of him as he looked into those hated eyes and wondered what Kyo had seen in her.

According to Hishigi, proud Kyo, strong Kyo, Kyo who never looked back and avoided any bonds outside of battle had bowed his head for the woman in front of him and he didn't understand why. He, Akira, Bon, and Hotaru had followed the Thousand Killer's back for so long, even after he left them all behind, and now, eight years later, it felt as if the dream he'd been chasing had been snatched away. It was an unfulfilling and frustrating position to be in and his sorrow found a target in the woman who had been the catalyst for his idol's downfall.

He might have forgiven her stealing Kyo away if she had been a great beauty or a phenomenal fighter but she was neither. She was pretty but he'd seen better – himself included, he decided vainly – and her ki was pitiful. To his eyes, she was unremarkable in every way except for those green irises but they weren't nearly enough for him to look at the young woman and judge her as anything but unworthy of an incredible man like Kyo.

Akari did not bother to mask the contempt in his eyes as he addressed Kyoshiro, without moving his gaze from Kyo's wife, and said pleasantly, "It's wonderful to make your acquaintance at last. Kyo used to tell us about his friend Kyoshiro and I can tell you're _really_ strong."

He took his eyes away from his prey for a moment to wink at Kyoshiro who blushed and gave him a lopsided smile. It was clear the other fighter wasn't sure what to make of his friendly demeanor and he was content to keep him guessing while he assessed his target.

"He called me his friend...Akari-San? How exactly do you know Kyo?"

"Oh silly me, I should have said it clearly. I am the last of the Four Emperors and I've been looking for my fiance for quite some time now. It's why I've spent the last few years seeking Muramasa-San out."

"The last of the...oooh," Kyoshiro's eyes flew wide and Akari inwardly cringed as realization flickered through those blue depths.

It didn't take a genius to realize that the other man had probably figured out his secret based on the information Kyo gave him. However, he didn't need Kyoshiro blabbing the truth out about his sex before he had time to torment Kyo's troublesome wife some more and therefore decided to shut him up for the time being. Stepping forward, he reached out to grasp Kyoshiro's hands and gave him a brilliant smile. Male or no, most people couldn't resist that expression and the other fighter was no exception.

The samurai returned his smile and pulled a hand free to scratch at his black hair as he said brightly, "I'd heard you could be pretty terrifying at times but you seem like a pretty nice g..."

Akari interrupted him before he could say "guy" with a loud gasp before fixing his violet eyes on an imaginary spot behind him and exclaiming, "What's that?!"

"What's what?" Kyoshiro asked, turning his head to see what had caught his attention.

It gave the shaman his opportunity to step closer, ball his gloved hand into a fist, and drive it into his solar plexus, knocking the wind out of the other man. From the perspective of the woman of the porch, it would look like Kyoshiro had merely caught a sudden stomach cramp and he made a show of helping the man over to a nearby stump with a concerned, "Oh, Kyoshiro-Chan, are you alright? Let's get you over here to rest. You look soooo tired."

Kyoshiro gasped and wheezed and Akari whispered a small "sorry" for his ears only before gliding past him and over to confront his nemesis. Placing his hands on his hips, he gave her a thorough once over and noted that she did the same before standing taller and folding her arms across her medium-sized bust – yet another area in which he was better than her even if his boobs _were_ made up of meat buns. They stood there for a solid minute as they stared each other down, woman versus sort-of woman, but both people who had a deep attachment to Kyo.

Since it wasn't worth it to defeat her with force - the woman had no fighting aura to speak of and he wasn't too inclined to hit other women anyways - Akari opted for a more subtle form of persecution by ascending the stairs and stopping in front of her. His much greater height forced the woman to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact and he folded his arms under his "breasts", silently telling her that it wasn't just height that made him better. He was far prettier and shapelier than her too.

The blonde credited herself by not shrinking back at all, merely looking at him as she asked, "You didn't hurt Kyoshiro too badly did you?"

A blink was the only indication Akari gave that he was surprised at her perceptiveness but he covered it by saying sweetly, "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"I'm talking about his mysterious stomach pain. That man is a Mibu and has never been ill a day in his life. So either he magically," she laced the word with sarcasm, "got sick in the blink of an eye or you punched the stuff out of him."

Although the shaman maintained a smile on the outside, he groaned inwardly at having forgotten that little detail. However, he wasn't about to let that deter him and thus replied, "Hmm, must be something in the air. Now, how about we move on to you, young lady? What _is_ your name? Are you Muramasa-San's new wife or something...else."

His implication that she was living with Muramasa as some sort of mistress garnered a reaction from her and those green eyes darkened like clouds coming in for a storm as her arms unfolded and transported her hands to her hips. Her lips tightened briefly before her gaze sharpened into keen emerald and she laughed a bit before saying airily, "Oh no, nothing like that. My name is Yuya and he's my father-in-law."

That drew blood but Akari shrugged it off as a scratch and replied in an equally breezy tone, "Now isn't that interesting? I had no idea Kyo-Chan had a brother."

"He doesn't actually," Yuya said with a smug smile, "There's only Kyo."

The shaman gasped and pressed a hand to his chest as he said, "Oh no, don't tell me Kyo-Chan forgot our promise. He told me when we were kids that he'd marry me when I grew up. I don't know how I can handle this disappointment."

He held his long sleeve up to his face and sobbed dramatically, hoping to move her to apologize for stealing Kyo away and thereby allowing him to regain the upper hand. The fake crying lasted for a good two minutes before he peeked out from behind the fabric to see how she was reacting.

The shaman was hoping to see some sort of consternation or worry on Yuya's face but instead he was greeted with an amused smile and a raised eyebrow as she said, "You know, your lies would be a lot more believable if you weren't acting like some sort of tragic heroine out of a fairytale. I mean, don't let me stop you if it makes you feel good, but if you are trying to make me feel any sort of remorse for marrying the man I love, you'll be waiting quite a while."

Akari jerked his sleeve away and glared at Yuya, dropping all pretense of friendliness and sucking his teeth in annoyance when her smile widened and she said, "Uh oh, looks like I brought out the real you."

 _'You don't know the half of it,'_ he thought to himself in annoyance. Usually he could dominate and manipulate those around him just fine but, so far, she wasn't reacting the way most people did. If he didn't dislike her because of her involvement with Kyo, he might have felt the stirrings of admiration for her pluck.

"Since you know so much little girl, why don't you enlighten me as to where _my_ Kyo-Chan is?" he ordered at last.

"Sorry but he's not _your_ Kyo. I married him and have two children by him. That puts me worlds above _any_ females from his past."

That stopped Akari in his tracks and he stared at Yuya in shock. Hishigi had completely left out the part about her being pregnant. All he knew was that Kyo had willingly submitted himself to the Mibu on behalf of the woman standing in front of him and he'd been so angry that he hadn't stopped to consider any other potential mitigating circumstances behind his choice.

Compressing his lips and conceding that she had won this round, he demanded quietly, "Tell me where he is, Yuya-San."

It was the only bit of respect he was willing to dole out to the interfering female in front of him but it was enough to soften her gaze.

"For some reason, I think you might already know the answer to that question, otherwise you wouldn't have made the trip up here or tried to pick a fight the moment you saw me."

Those striking eyes were assessing as they ran over his face and form, undoubtedly noting the beginnings of lines from sleepless nights spend wondering what happened to Kyo and the rest of his friends and long treks through forests and across mountains in search of them.

Akari fought the urge to scrub a hand across his face to obscure the signs of stress that he had lamented when he was alone and blinked when she continued, "I'll probably regret this but why don't you come inside and start from the beginning, with the truth this time."

The shift from combative in one breath to kind in the next threw him off guard and he stared at her in disbelief as he asked bluntly, "Are you an idiot or something? If you know I was lying why are you inviting me into your home?"

The corner of her eye twitched at his insult but she maintained her pleasant expression as she said, "As much as I _know_ I'm going to hate life for the next few hours, I can tell you genuinely care about Kyo. And since I like the other members of the Shiseiten, I'm willing to give you a chance."

"And how do you know I was telling the truth about being one of them?"

"Because you have the same look on your face that Bon-San and Akira-San have when they're around him. Like he's the best thing that ever happened to any of you."

Having a stranger voice his private thoughts out loud was unsettling and, for no reason at all, he felt his ears burning.

 _'Well, dang,'_ he thought sullenly, perturbed by her clear assessment of the relationship the Four Emperors had with the eternally confident Kyo. They each adored him in various ways and, at the end of the day, he was the one person they all strived to be.

"I think I'll take you up on your offer. What about Kyoshiro-San?" he asked, jerking his thumb backwards to indicate the other warrior.

"Don't worry about him, Akari-San. It's about time he learned not to fall for every pretty face," Yuya said with a mischievous smile and he wondered at her lack of concern for her friend before she followed it up with, "Besides, he's Kyo's equal with the sword. If he thought you were a threat, you wouldn't be talking to me right now."

Though her tone remained light, her warning was clear and his lips involuntarily twitched into a grin at her brass. So few people stood up to him that it was sort of refreshing.

 _'Looks like you do have claws after all,'_ he thought as he followed her into the house.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when Akari came without fuss. After a long few days, she just wanted to roll into bed and wake up to the sight of her husband one more. Of course, it wasn't going to be _that_ easy and having Kyo's crazy ex-girlfriend show up didn't help one bit. She thought those days were behind her with Okuni's mysterious departure a few years back.

 _'Silly Yuya, what on Earth were you thinking?' s_ he thought to herself as she introduced the woman behind her to Muramasa and her daughter.

Of course, the priestess put on a show for her father-in-law and the bounty huntress rolled her eyes as she gushed over Kyo-Chan's handsome father before laying her shakujo down and flitting over to pick Aiko up and twirl her around.

"Aren't you just the sweetest thing? What's your name?"

Aiko, who took the tall woman in stride with her usual excitement over the rare privilege of meeting someone new, beamed at the pink-haired lady and said, "My name is Aiko. You are really pretty."

That only served to stroke Akari's already outrageous ego and she threw her head back and laughed as she said, "Even children acknowledge the magnificence of Akari-Tan. I just love those pretty eyes of yours, Ai-Chan. You are sooooo cute! Nothing _at all_ like your mother."

She whirled Aiko around in the air before shooting Yuya a sly look and the blonde sighed out loud this time. She was already regretting the invitation she had extended to the troublesome female. Not only was the other woman arrogant, but her cutesy way of referring to herself even though she towered over all of them and had sucker punched poor Kyoshiro in the stomach was just unsettling.

Thankfully Muramasa, who had been watching the proceedings with his usual calm, came to her rescue by tapping her on the shoulder and saying, "Why don't you finish preparing dinner? I'll keep an eye out here."

She gratefully heeded his suggestion and exited the house before casting one last glance at the stunning woman. At sixteen she might have felt a bit more insecure about her own looks in comparison to those of their guest but what she said about being married to him and having his children was correct. No matter what Akari's relationship with Kyo had been, it hadn't been enough to keep him at the other woman's side and she contented herself with that knowledge as she stopped by Kyoshiro's stump.

"I thought for sure you'd be fine by now," she said and he looked up at her with a chagrined smile.

"Actually, I'm alright, just kicking myself for falling for such an obvious trick," he replied.

"Well," she crossed her arms and gave him an I-told-you-so look as she said, "it serves you right. How many times do I have to string you up for making a fool out of yourself around a pretty face? If I ever meet Sakuya-San, I am so going to tell on you."

His face took on a comically scared expression and he pressed his hands together in entreaty as he begged, "Please don't do that, Yuya-San!"

"Hmm, I don't know. I think she deserves to know you have such a weakness for cute girls."

"Come on, you know Sakuya means the world to me. You are being too mean, Yuya-San. How would you feel if I tell Kyo how you've been luring in some of our bounties?"

Kyoshiro pressed his lips together in a pout that made him look like a duck and twisted around until he was peeking at her over one shoulder, before sliding his kimono sleeve down until it was bared to her gaze. He batted his eyelashes at her and said in a high-pitched falsetto, "I'm sorry sir, but my kimono is soooo tight and my chest is so hot it hurts. Won't you pleeease help me?"

Yuya blushed at seeing a bastardized version of her seductive damsel in distress act. She would be the first to admit that it wasn't her finest moment and she clapped a hand over her eyes, trying to block out the embarrassing parody of her lowest trick.

Kyoshiro laughed and said, "Doesn't feel so good, does it?"

"No," she muttered, walking over to check on the food and smiling when she saw that it was almost done.

They enjoyed a brief, companionable silence as she stirred their meal before inquiring, "Are you sure your stomach is alright?"

"I've had worse but Akari is pretty strong. I actually felt that punch."

"You've got to keep your guard up," she chided before adding, "but it does make me wonder how Kyo found such a beautiful woman with enough strength to make it into the Shiseiten. If I didn't know he loved me, I might have felt a bit jealous that a woman like that sought him out after so many years."

Kyoshiro made a curious choking sound and she turned to look at him, wondering why he looked so nervous.

"Are you sure you're alright, Kyoshiro?"

"I'm fine. Just...uh, I don't think you need to worry about Akari-San. She _really_ isn't Kyo's type."

"Are you sure about that? She's so pretty and busty to boot. Kyo was always teasing me about my size."

"Yeah but I can guarantee he'd prefer you over her even if you weren't married."

"Really? What makes you so sure?"

"Let's just say I know what Kyo likes. You'll figure it out eventually. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to avoid getting socked in the stomach a second time," he said before beating a hasty retreat towards the house and leaving Yuya to ponder what he meant.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yes, I went there and had Kyoshiro perform the "Duck Face" of selfie fame. Equally wrong is that I had Rodney Carrington's "Dancin' With a Man" running through my head during this chapter. I know, I'm terrible.

Also, I just realized that I've never really seen Akari hit a woman outside of slapping some sense into Santera when she was wallowing in self-pity. That's not a bad thing mind you, but it's part of the many layers that make up our favorite cross-dresser. More fun up ahead and again Akari and Yuya will be fast friends before all is said and done. He still a bit childish though and hurting over the fact that Kyo sacrificed himself for Yuya, so it'll take a little time for him to appreciate her awesomeness. ^_^ By the way, there is more to Akari's conversation with Hishigi in case you were wondering why he could just waltz in and out of the Mibu's territoty.

Hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you think.

P.S. Does anyone have a clue how old Akari is? I tend to think mid twenties to thirties, so not far off from Kyo's age. Since four years have passed, Kyo would be around 32 in this fic. I still can't get over the age difference between him and Yuya in the manga but it's pretty sexy anyways. :kyaa: \\(^_^)/


	7. Stress and Aggravation

**Thanks to: kyoandyuya** (Thanks! Akari wouldn't respect Yuya if she couldn't stand her ground. Also, I'm not sure if Kyoshiro knew Akari was a guy at first in the manga either but I figured it was always possible since Kyo probably would have told him and Sakuya about the Shiseiten when they were still hanging out together), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Glad I made you laugh. Writing comedy is more fun than pushing out the gloomy but necessary bits in the beginning of the fic. I'm able to write a bit faster because you and the other readers are kind enough to let me know what you think. The encouragement helps me to keep going because fanfic writing can be a thankless job sometimes.), **lmamc, ThunderxShadow** (I'm dying to get Kyo and Yuya back together too, curse my need for plot. _ And yeah, Taihaku is an interfering uncle but he's the type who wants the people around him to be happy and, without Yuya, Kyo just isn't. Remember, four years have passed so Yuya is twenty now but I agree. I outgrew a lot of shoujo manga because the circular drama and uncertainty of teenage girls was driving me crazy.), **general zargon** (Akari is really fun to write. Glad you enjoyed.), **abattles2** (Yeah, the chemistry between the characters in SDK was really top-notch which is why I love it so. I forsee lots of confusion for Kyo because he is not exactly an ideal dad.), **magicalnana** (Thanks and Kyo is 28 in the manga), **Rinfantasy** (Kyoshiro is like Yuya's aggravating but lovable older brother. I always enjoyed their relationship),

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Six**

 **Stress and Aggravation**

The moment Yuya was out of the room, Muramasa turned to look at Akari and said, "You really ought to avoid picking fights with my daughter-in-law. She's quite stubborn. Though you are a strong young man, she isn't the type to lose to anyone when it comes to Kyo."

Perhaps it was a bit underhanded but Muramasa listened closely with his Satori as Akari gave a start at his reference to his sex – which is what he wanted - and paused in the process of measuring Aiko's hands against his. There was a tiny whiff of uncertainty and surprise emanating from the mind inside that pink garbed head before his guest clamped down on his thoughts and replied softly, "So I noticed, but being stubborn doesn't make her good enough for Kyo."

The former Elder smiled as he said kindly, "No, but loving him for exactly who he is and understanding him on a level that no one else does is a great start."

The shaman frowned and looked at him before flicking a long strand hair over his shoulder and saying petulantly, "I love Kyo just fine."

Muramasa sighed and stood, walking over to his visitor and placing a hand on his shoulder as he said, "I'm not denying that you care very deeply about my son but I think we both know it isn't quite the same. No matter how much you chase him, you still have the same problem other people have always had when it comes to Kyo."

He caught a flash of anger as those violet eyes narrowed and Akari pulled away as he asked coldly, "And what problem is that? I've known Kyo for far longer than that woman. I'm more beautiful. I'm stronger. I've followed him for what feels like forever. What is wrong with any of that?"

A tiny whimper sounded and they both turned to look at Aiko, who was staring at Akari with large eyes that shone with unshed tears. Immediately, the shaman's face softened and he reached forward with a gently murmured, "I'm sorry, little one, did I scare you?"

The child took a hesitant step back and Muramasa didn't need to be a mind reader to see the hurt that went through the other man.

"You're mad," the girl said.

"No, I'm not mad. Just a little confused."

She shook her head and replied, "But Aiko saw it."

Muramasa frowned - thinking that her phrasing was unusual - and wondered why she had chosen those specific words before deciding that his questions could wait until after he had cleared the air a bit. He could sense that Akari was a tightly wound individual and the brief glimpse he had into his mind told him to tread with care.

"It's alright, Ai-Chan," her grandfather said, scooting back from his guest and projecting soothing thoughts as he held his hands out for the girl.

His granddaughter kept a wary eye on Akari and gave him a wide berth as she edged her way to the safety of Muramasa's arms. That pink head followed her progress before tilting down in order to let the long strands hide its owner's face.

"Well...isn't that the story of my life," Akari whispered, more to himself than anyone in particular, as he absently rubbed his right hand over the back of the gloved left one.

The word "monster" faintly echoed in the former Elder's head before there was absolute silence and he was unable get a clearer read off of his thoughts. The shaman had withdrawn deeply into himself and the older man found himself marveling at the perfect way he'd been shut out. Very few people could block him so completely and he felt pity bloom in his chest. For the man in front of him to be so self-contained - and not in the good way, either – he had to have been through a great deal of abuse in his life. It was the sort of pain where you wished you could be anywhere or anyone else than who you were.

He'd only assumed that the female guise Akari wore was a quirk of his personality but now he wondered if maybe there were more to it. Perhaps it was more akin to a suit of armor than a manner of dress and speech.

 _'Let's approach things differently then,'_ he thought as he stroked Aiko's head for a few moments before urging her to stand once more and pushing her in the direction of their moping visitor.

She clutched at his arm and stared at him with panicked eyes and he continued to send calm thoughts to her until she gradually relaxed. He thought he might have felt a tiny touch against his mind and a sense of worry that wasn't quite his own but it was gone just as quickly and he shrugged it off as a figment of his imagination. There were no other people around him who were capable of using Satori.

"Akari-San is sorry for scaring you and wants to apologize," he said quietly, "Will you accept it, Ai-Chan?"

Even though he was guessing about the shaman's desire to apologize, he was fairly certain that he was spot-on when those violet eyes snapped up to stare at him in shock. His grandchild looked into his eyes for a moment before looking over at the priestess who was staring at the two of them with a guarded expression.

That blonde head tilted to the side and he got the feeling that she was listening to something even he couldn't hear before she said in a loud whisper, "Akari-San is sad."

He wasn't sure what made her so certain when even _he_ couldn't get a clear read on the other man but he said nothing as the girl willingly walked over to the shaman and reached out to place her hands on either of his cheeks.

"It's okay," she said as she made a wiping motion with her hands across Akari's face like she was scrubbing away invisible tears, "don't cry."

It was strange and more than a little unsettling because, in his thousands of years of life, he'd never seen anything quite like it. But he held his peace until a more convenient time and watched as Kyo's child gently coaxed Akari back from wherever he'd gone.

His guest blinked before gathering his dignity again and saying haughtily, "Akari-Sama never cries. I'm over such nonsensical emotions like sadness or regret. They are soooo passe."

It sounded like another lie to Muramasa but he smiled and let it pass – that seemed to be the best thing to do when dealing with his guest. Besides, everyone was entitled to a bit of dignity now and then.

Aiko grinned in response to Akari's declaration and the shaman gave a loud sniff and pointed his nose in the air before turning away, but not before the older man saw the corner of his shapely lips twitching upwards.

"I'll offer you an apology for scaring you because you are so cute but don't expect me to grace you with one everytime something happens," the shaman said.

The little girl bobbed her head, although he was pretty sure Akari's point had passed her by completely. It was of no import anyways because the child bent forward and gave their visitor an awkward hug around his left arm before heading over to the front door.

Leaning forward, he heard her take a little sniff before she exclaimed happily, "Kaa-Chan is coming. Aiko is hungry."

She looked back at her grandfather with barely contained impatience, silently asking his permission to excuse herself, and he nodded. As if the past few minutes and her fear of Akari had never been, she giggled and made her exit with enthusiasm to spare.

The room's two occupants stared after the girl before sharing a small laugh and Akari said, "Your grandchild is...interesting."

"She's sweet and cares a great deal about the people around her. Just like her mother," he followed his statement up with a significant look and Akari actually had the presence of mind to look slightly chagrined.

"Well, I'm still on the fence about her. She'll have to prove herself worthy before I approve of her marrying Kyo," he crossed his arms but his words lacked real heat, as if he knew he was being a touch on the childish side, and Muramasa accepted it for what it was – progress.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Aiko darted past Kyoshiro, who was on his way back to the house, and paused for a moment to look at his face. Her uncle smiled at her and she observed him, curious as to whether or not she would see the strange mask-like expression on his features like she had seen on Akari. It was part of what had scared her off from the pretty stranger.

One moment the tall lady and her grandfather had been talking about her daddy and the next thing she knew, their visitor's features had changed somehow. She couldn't explain it save to say it was like a wood-carved version of Akari's face appeared, but it was red and had a thunderous expression similar to the Noh masks she saw in some of her grandsire's books.

The unexpectedness of it had been terrifying and she had wanted to run away to find her mother and hide until her grandfather made his magic happen and took the panic away. He had explained his Satori to her once upon a time, but all she knew was that she had instinctively reached out to her beloved protector for a moment, trying to see if she could hand her fear over to him because he always seemed to be able to make things better.

After that, when she next looked at Akari, she had seen that the angry mask was replaced by a sad one, with tears running down its cheeks. It had stirred her sympathy and allowed her to move past her fear and offer comfort. Like her mother, she couldn't stand to see other people in pain. It never once occurred to her that the tears she saw and touched might not have been physical.

Sometimes...she felt like there was something hidden away, deep inside of her, but she wasn't sure what to do about it. There were so much going on in her brain at all times but she had such a hard time expressing complex ideas with her limited vocabulary. She often wished she could put her thoughts directly into the heads of others, like her grandfather could.

Kyoshiro gave her a pat on the head as her silence stretched on, assuming she was just being a child, and she smiled in return – privately glad that his face didn't show anything strange. By the time she met up with her mother, who was taking the food off of the fire, she had put her disturbing musings to the side and was dwelling on the excitement of having someone new to play with in the house. None of her regular family members looked any different and - with the easy forgetfulness of a child who had been reassured that all was right with the world - she shrugged off her vision as a fluke and struck up a conversation with her mom about dinner.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 ***Flashback***

 _"Uh oh, looks like you're already getting attached, Shinrei," Saishi said playfully and he tore himself away from the quietly sleeping babe in his arms to send her a glare before returning his gaze to the frail bundle in his arms_

 _The boy had been crying almost constantly since they took him from his mother and Kyo's mentor and, out of sheer annoyance, Saishi had casualy discussed "losing" the child somewhere in between Muramasa's house and Aokigahara. That was when he had stepped in and taken charge of the infant. The wood-user had no maternal instincts to speak of, being a wholly self-centered individual, and Saisei would do nothing that her mistress did not allow. The female warrior was not an unkind person and Shinrei respected her a great deal but he could not rely on her to be compassionate in the presence of the woman who pulled her strings._

 _Therefore he had decided to transport the child himself even though he could have delegated the resposibility to one of the soldiers traveling with them. His stated reason was that they had been specifically sent to retrieve the boy and thus he was too important to be handed over to anyone but the strongest members of their entourage. But privately, it was because he wanted to hold a rare Mibu child before he had to hand him over to Fubuki. It was a duty he was not looking forward to when his master had previously been ready to discard the life he held after getting what he wanted from Kyo and deeming his mother unimportant._

 _Though the boy had fussed for a little while longer, he eventually rocked him gently to sleep, calling on the undine in the moisture-laden air to part the rain and keep the baby dry. He looked up to see Saisei staring at him with an unreadable look. She did that a lot and he wondered what was going through her mind and why he seemed to be of such interest to her. Did she see through his flimsy excuse for holding the baby to the secret longing he had for a child of his own? He was grateful when she said nothing, merely inclined her head the tiniest bit in his direction before turning to say something to Saishi that he couldn't hear._

 _All too soon, they were back home and he was standing before Fubuki as he gave his report on the events that had passed, all the while holding the baby and unconsciously rocking him back and forth. Saishi, Saisei, and he each took their turn as they described what had happened but the cold black eyes of his master never left his and he clutched the child close, wary of what was going on behind that blank face._

 _Once they were done, Fubuki dismissed the women and stood up to walk over to his pupil. As if sensing the danger, the boy woke up and began to wail piteously, balling his little fists up as his face turned red from exerting his lungs._

 _The water-user shushed him and stroked the fine black hair on top of his head as he said, "He is probably very hungry by now, Fubuki-Sama. I'll take him to be fed...with your permission."_

 _He tried not to cringe at adding the last part as an afterthought but his master seemed to be more focused on the picture presented by his apprentice holding a crying child than observing the formalities._

 _Shinrei forced himself not to take a defensive step back as the tall man drew close and reached out to touch the baby's cheek with a long finger._

 _"So, this is the last child?" it wasn't really a question._

 _The younger man nodded anyways and said, "I'm sorry he is being so loud."_

 _Those black eyes moved from the child to Shinrei, noting that the bulk of his attention was fixed squarely on the baby. It unusual behavior for his extremely formal student and the Goyosei member blushed as he realized that he was being incredibly rude._

 _Such thoughts soon fell away however, when the child paused and blinked groggily and he got his first glimpse of his ruby-colored irises. He should have felt disgusted that the baby had inherited his father's eyes but instead, he was momentarily transported back to his first encounter with Kyo as a child and now, just as he had as a boy, he thought they were beyond beautiful. His own orbs were riveted on that little face, waiting for the boy to show him the sacred red eyes a second time._

 _"I can see that you have more pressing matters on your mind, Shinrei," Fubuki said, his voice laced with rare amusement. And he blinked as he dragged his eyes away from the child to look at the master whose presence he had temporarily forgotten._

 _If possible, Shinrei's face got even hotter and he said, "F...forgive me, Fubuki-Sama. I did not mean to ignore you. It's just...," he trailed off, uncertain on how he could climb out of the hole he'd dug for himself._

 _The corner of the Elder's mouth tilted up slightly and he said, "No need for apologies. This is the first time a natural-born child has appeared here in decades. I can see the fascination."_

 _"Yes, but...," his sense of propriety wouldn't allow him to accept his poor behavior. Trust issues or not, he still held a large measure of respect for Fubuki's status as a Taishirou._

 _"Put it from your mind, my pupil. I am not offended. Rather, I find myself in a generous mood right now. Since it is clear that you have already formed an attachment to him I think you are best suited to give him a name."_

 _His eyes grew wide at the honor that had just been bestowed upon him and he stared at the baby, who opened his bleary eyes and stared right back at him. He didn't even hesitate as his mind supplied him with the name he had once dreamed of bestowing upon his firstborn son._

 _"Ryu. His name is Mibu Ryu, Fubuki-Sama."_

 _His master's eyes gleamed as he replied, "It is a good name. One that is significant for both of us. Your job now is to instill into him the sort of nobility that goes along with such a dignified name."_

 _Shinrei nodded and promised himself that he would raise the child to love the clan as he did. And to understand the importance of protecting it...even if it meant someday defying the people he respected most._

 ***End Flashback***

Shinrei always knew that the fantasy world he'd built would crumble someday.

The first crack appeared when he was tucking Ryu in for bed and the boy looked up at him with innocent eyes and asked, "Shinrei-Sama, do I have a mother and father?"

The question was so unexpected that the young man had to pause and give it thought. Telling the whole truth was out of the question but, at the same time, he was unwilling to lie to his charge. He had known that the subject would eventually come up when the boy learned where babies came from in more detail but he'd been hoping to stave it off for a few more years at least.

Apparently, his silence was telling and the boy sat up, staring at him intently as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Knowing that he had to give an answer of some sort, the water-user reached out to ruffle the boy's hair and pasted a smile on his face as he said, "No, it's alright. You just surprised me. What brought that question on?"

In truth, he was hoping to distract the child but he had a feeling he'd be fighting a losing battle on that front. Ryu was...tenacious, to put it mildly.

"I thought about it today. Hishigi did not make me and you aren't my father," even if it was the truth, it still hurt to be reminded that Ryu wasn't his.

"Where did I come from, Shinrei-Sama?"

Shinrei turned the difficult question over in his head before deciding to give him a bit of information and hoping it would buy him more time.

"You did have parent's, Ryu," he said softly, "but things didn't work out and I wound up raising you."

"What happened?" his brow furrowed and his eyes were worried as he followed it up with a pitiful, "Did they not want me?"

Shinrei thought of Kyo swallowing up his pride and bowing his head to Fubuki and Yuya lying unconscious in a small pool of blood when they came to take her child away. They had left her behind, knowing that she had a high chance of dying.

He didn't have the heart to cheapen the struggles Ryu's parents had gone through to bring him into the world and replied, "No, they sacrificed a great deal to make sure you were born."

"Then where are they?" the boy asked, trying to understand why parents who cared about him didn't see fit to stick around.

 _'Your father is here and doesn't remember you or your mother and I'm not sure she's still alive,'_ he thought but knew he couldn't voice it. Neither he nor Ryu were ready to face the harsh reality of their situation.

"Sometimes...things happen and there is nothing you can do about it," he said before standing up and walking over to the door, indicating that the conversation was at an end.

He knew the answer he had given wouldn't satisfy Ryu but he couldn't see any way around the truth and he wouldn't lie to the boy. Pretend parent or not, he didn't want to destroy the trust he'd built with him.

 _'No, your hand in tearing his parents apart will do that just fine,'_ a bitter voice inside of him whispered and he closed his eyes, shutting out the sight of Kyo's son staring at him with his father's eyes as he turned and fled the guilt that ate at him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hotaru was bored.

It wasn't a new state of affairs really since he'd always felt restless ever since he parted ways with his fellow Emperors and Kyo years ago. He flitted from battle to battle and provoked his annoying half-brother every chance he got – which was laughably easy to do since Shinrei had such a stick up his butt about everything - but it wasn't enough to stop his craving.

No, what he wanted was a fierce, life-and-death, knock-down, battle against a worthy foe. Kyo had been the enemy he once sought and when he heard that the other man would be living with the Mibu again, he had been overjoyed, thinking that he had his chance at last. The memory of Kyo's Suzaku had stirred him like no other – to the point that he even took time to recreate a pale imitation with his own flames in accordance with his mix 'n' match fighting style or, as Yuy-Yun called it, his "Bastard Mongrel Anything Goes Technique".

He'd planned to show it to Kyo just for fun when they had their big and, perhaps, final fight. But...now it sat unused - wasted. The Kyo he had been looking forward to fighting was a shadow of himself, living in peace with his annoying family even though the fire-user could sense his burning drive to rampage and spill blood, like the demon he'd known in years past.

A Kyo who played by the rules of the Mibu was not a Kyo he enjoyed fighting and he generally avoided the duty bestowed upon him by the Taishirou of keeping the other man occupied without challenging him to get stronger. Of what use was it to hold back when he knew what Kyo was capable of? Who in their right mind would accept such a boring fight?

As he lounged on top of the wall that surrounded the castle, where he had spent most of the day napping in the sun, he wondered if he should just get it over with and put Kyo out of his misery. If the other man wasn't going to do anything about his need to fight seriously, then Hotaru was perfectly fine with reminding him at the point of his sword. Either Kyo would die or he would wake up and give him the battle he'd been craving for so long.

Hotaru had cast off the fun memories of traveling with Kyo and the other Emperors in favor of building his strength alone and he wanted to test the results of his chosen course in life on the man who had been his next biggest rival aside from Shinrei. Still, no matter how much he tried to see his past as a necessarily evil of his original mission to spy on the Demon Child, the recollection of how easily he'd been able to smile around Kyo and the rest wouldn't leave him. He was forgetful about most things that didn't interest him but he couldn't forget that.

Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath and decided that, late or no, he needed to seek Kyo out and get his itch to fight scratched. He didn't care about his instructions to hold back and he hated waiting for something he wanted. His course decided, he stood up, intending to follow through with the plan in his head when movement below caught his eye and he paused.

Shinrei was walking briskly towards the stage that sat in the courtyard. Fubuki used to perform on it in years past but it had been neglected for a while now. His doubted his square of a brother would do something as bold as getting up and dancing on it himself unless his precious master gave him a pat on the head and his go-ahead. The stage was sacred and his half-sibling wouldn't go beyond the boundaries prescribed for him by the higher-ups.

It was one of the many things that irritated him about the water-user.

No matter how obvious it was that he was being lied to or manipulated, he always did as he was told. Hotaru had figured out a long time ago that Fubuki and the rest were liars who had no qualms about manipulating the clan members to do their bidding. It was why he, in turn, felt no qualms about constantly skirting around their orders and instructions. He _knew_ they saw him as expendable. Shinrei, on the other hand, was an idiot.

Crouching down and leaning forward on his abnormally high geta – he'd specifically gotten such tall shoes to enable him to look his stupid brother in the eye – he balanced himself on the edge of the wall and watched the other fighter. He would have made quite a sight to any passerby if they had happened to look up to see him leaning out into space, perfectly balancing himself on a fifty-foot high wall in strange footwear that had been chosen solely because he refused to live in a world where he was shorter than the other man.

Hotaru was the living embodiment of competition and strove to be the best no matter how stupid or unimportant the contest was. Had anyone told him that it was a trait he shared with his idiot brother, he would have disemboweled them on the spot.

Still, he watched with a modicum of interest as Shinrei stopped in front of the stage and stared at it for a while before drawing his blades and moving into the dance-inspired katas of his fighting school. Hotaru inwardly rolled his eyes. The silver-haired puppet, who couldn't figure out how to function without getting permission for his every move, only did that when he was worried about something.

 _'When_ isn't _he fretting like a little girl?'_ he thought in disgust as he observed his half-brother's movements, automatically analyzing them and thinking up ways to add them to his repertoire.

Knowing his fool brother, he was probably fussing over the state of the clan or trying to find more ways of turning Mini-Kyo into a copy of himself. He knew the boy had a name but, since the child wasn't a fighter, he'd lost it somewhere in the labyrinthine confines of his mind. He imagined the water-user had probably stuck the brat with a stodgy and unimaginative name that was related to his fighting style or conveyed his obsession with honor, duty, and the like.

Like most things that weren't related to eating, napping, or fighting, he had immediately forgotten the label applied to the Demon Child's progeny upon their first introduction. Thus, he had dubbed him "Mini-Kyo", after his father, since that was the only part of the kid that interested him. He generally ignored the boy but, if he was causing such turmoil in his stuffy brother, that made him infinitely more interesting. Tormenting Shinrei was one of his few pleasures in life even though it was painfully easy to do because he was so stiff.

Losing interest in watching his brother's attempt to exorcise whatever demons of duty and obligation were torturing him this time, he stood and rubbed his stomach absently as it rumbled. The plans he had made to fight Kyo promptly evaporated as if they had never been as his mind shuffled them out to make space for the necessities.

Scratching his head, he briefly tried to reach for his previous line of thought before giving up and mentally shrugging. Eat now, remember later. Whatever he'd been thinking of would eventually come back around if it was important enough.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hmm, how many different times did Hotaru call Shinrei stupid (synonyms count too ;-P)? Writing the brothers separately is fun but putting them in the same room equals good times. Hotaru and Shinrei probably have one the most amusing dynamics in the series. I love them both because they are polar opposites but share a lot of key traits. Also, Hotaru's competitiveness is freakin' hilarious and no one brings it out like his brother.

Anywho, more to come and I'm going to try to get the story moving forward a bit faster. I'll explain more about what is going on with Aiko and the connection to Ryu. Hopefully more Kyo on the way as well. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts. Constructive criticism is welcome.

Fun fact: I never realized that empaths in fiction could be useful. I assumed most would wind up as con-artists or counselor types like Deanna Troi from Star Trek. And then I read the Pegasus series by Anne McCaffrey and realized that it could actually be a pretty awesome power with the ability to manipulate those around you and that it actually does have offensive uses.


	8. Kind Resolve and Ravenous Beasts

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (Shinrei isn't going to be able to keep things together forever and, as for Hotaru telling Kyo the truth, you'll have to wait and see. Glad you like the twist on Aiko's powers), **lmamc, Guest** (Adventure and reunions will happen. And who knows, it might not be in the Mibu where they see each other again. ;-P), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Can't tell you what will happen without giving you spoilers. I can say that Ryu is going to meet a certain True Mibu at some point. Also, I hope you are enjoying Akari. I always worry about butchering his exquisitely complex character outside of the diva aspects.), **J Luc Pitard** (Glad you've been enjoying the last few chapters. I was worried I scared you off because it was moving so slowly. It's funny that you mentioned Hotaru spilling the beans to Ryu because your conversation isn't too far off from what I was planning. Well, except for Ryu going Super Saiyan, I'm saving that for later. ;P), **kyoandyuya** (Aiko can see emotions and more. Also, Ryu will see his parents again eventually and for a certainty his grandfather *hint, not Muramasa*. As always, Hotaru is a lot of fun to write. He's so random. ^_^), **M'Lady91** (I'm really happy you enjoyed the prequel and hope you enjoy this as well. I always worry about how my writing is going over with folks and it's awesome when I know you are having as much fun reading as I am writing. If you get a chance, you should read the manga. It's fantastic!)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Seven**

 **Kind Resolve and Ravenous Beasts**

Yuya woke up feeling as if she hadn't slept at all.

Akari, she decided, was the most exhausting human being she'd ever encountered. Once dinner was over the previous night, per Muramasa's request, she had escorted the priestess to her old room from before the incident with the Mibu. No matter how she tried to engage the other woman in conversation in hopes of starting off on a better foot, it always turned into a competition of Akari's feminine attributes versus hers or some story about the adventures she had with Kyo and the gang.

When Yuya complemented her on her hair, she fluffed the lovely strands and informed her that Kyo had once told her he'd never seen anything like it. When she asked Akari how she and Kyo had met, the priestesses blushed prettily, clapped her hands to her cheeks and told her - with the requisite starry eyes - how Kyo had ridden up on a white horse to rescue a "fair maiden" like herself from imprisonment. It was like she lived in a permanent fairytale.

Questions about how strong Akari had to be to qualify as one of the Emperors were answered with an imperious sniff and the response, "stronger than wanna-be bounty hunters." By the time Yuya had happily dumped the annoying woman at her room, she was ready to yank those gorgeous, pink strands out by their roots. Akari took antagonization and elevated it from an annoyance to an art form. The only thing she had been able to nail down about the woman's personality was that she was arrogant, strong, and took perverse pleasure in teasing her mercilessly.

 _'Well, what do you know, that's three things she has in common with Kyo. Isn't it just a match made in heaven?'_ she thought to herself sarcastically as she yawned and stumbled her way to the front porch.

Most women would have been sly about confronting another man's wife over said man because, _usually_ , when you wanted to steal someone's significant other away, you tried to do it behind the scenes. However, Akari was more direct and had an almost masculine determination and aggressiveness about getting what she wanted. In this case, the trophy she had in mind was either Kyo himself or Yuya's capitulation about her own worthiness to be his wife.

 _'Jealousy, thy name is woman,'_ she thought to herself as she sat down on the stool they kept on the porch and closed her eyes, resting her head against the wall of the house.

Of course, she would never lose to some bossy woman who was out to poach her man but Yuya could see why the priestess had made the cut as one of the Emperors. Regardless of being female, she would have fit in with the likes of Bon and Akira just fine. She was stubborn and powerful and the young woman could sense a fair share of the same competitive spirit the two men had whenever their current guest talked about Kyo. Although those violet eyes shone with adoration whenever she spoke of her husband, Yuya also got the feeling that she wanted to conquer Kyo as well.

If she had to peg down any one reason why Kyo and Akari weren't an item now – past memory loss notwithstanding – it was probably because of her attitude. Kyo just wasn't the type to roll over for anyone and let them get the best of him. Even around their friends, he was always alert because, on some level, they were all his enemies in the sense that they were competition. The priestess being female would have no bearing either because she knew that Kyo didn't differentiate between man and woman when it came to fighting - all comers would receive the same treatment.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the approach of her father-in-law from his morning walk until his calm voice interrupted her internal musings and said, "That is correct. He is still cautious, sometimes even around me, because that is the sort of "animal" he is. The only person I've seen him completely at ease with is you, Yome."

Yuya opened her eyes and gave a little self-deprecating laugh as she said, "So I'm alright because I can't possibly compete with him in power?"

He sighed in exasperation and said, "We aren't going down that road again. And that's not it. Kyo already acknowledged that you are a strong person and I agree with his assessment. No Yuya, what makes you so attractive to him is that you are the only person he knows who doesn't want to kill him, beat him, or possess him."

"Well of course not," she replied with a frown, finding the very idea abhorrent.

Even when he annoyed her, she didn't want to see him hurt. Yes, she was possessive over him as her husband but he wasn't a toy or something equally insulting. He was just Kyo.

"And _that_ is why he loves you so much," Muramasa said with a smile, reading her thoughts.

"But, doesn't he care for you too? I don't think you want to own him, Otou-Sama."

"Not now, I don't. It wasn't always that way," he said with a note of sadness.

"At first I only wanted to use him as catalyst for change since I saw where the Mibu were headed and, with the Death Disease manifesting in me, I _knew_ he could accomplish what I couldn't as a Taishirou. Though I felt my intentions were noble, it was not kind of me to rescue him from death by neglect only to raise him as a weapon."

"I...didn't know that," Yuya said softly.

"It's not one of my proudest moments. But I like to think that he eventually forgave me because I helped him to achieve strength and became his family. And I certainly don't regret the fact that I had such a fascinating son to keep me company," his expression was of deep fondness and her heart melted at his obvious love for his troublesome child.

"However," he continued, clearing his throat, "putting my past sins aside, let's return to the matter of your relationship with Kyo. I believe that your love for him is key. No matter how much the clan might tamper with his memories, who he is at his core will not change. What attracted him to you at the first is still going to be appealing to him on some level should the two of you meet again. I am convinced of this."

"I wanted to explain to Akari-San why she," and Yuya might have imagined the minute hesitation in his voice when he uttered the pronoun, "is a good friend but has the same problem everyone else who encounters Kyo has about wanting to own him. I was then going to ask her to help you in whatever way she can because I can tell she genuinely cares for my son and I think you two could be friends."

Yuya's brows rose at that but she didn't disabuse him of the notion or tell him that she was pretty certain that Akari disliked her as much as she disliked the priestess.

"Unfortunately, I think I underestimated just how many layers our guest has. If friendship is going to come, it'll have to be through you. She has probably been through a great deal of pain and you'll have to get through all of that misery to get to the person beneath. What you see on the surface is as much protection from the outside world as anything else."

The young woman turned his words over in her head, trying to figure out how a woman who oozed such haughty confidence could possibly have anything to hide from, before shrugging and saying, "I don't like being at odds with one of Kyo's friends. I'm not sure how to proceed."

"The best thing you can do for Akari-San is be yourself, Yuya," Muramasa said, offering her a kind smile.

She didn't understand it but she slowly nodded and said, "I'll try even though it's going to be hard to dredge up patience since she seems to thrive on being difficult."

"Well, so does Kyo and I think we know how that turned out," he replied knowingly.

Yuya briefly thought back to the many times she had been ready to shoot Kyo or leave him to his own devices forever before realizing that she was hopelessly in love with the jerk and grinned. Her husband was the epitome of tiresome and she missed him desperately. Looks like she needed to give the same treatment to the "Queen of Difficult" if she wanted to have peace on their journey and gain Akari as a friend. She had already determined that they could use all the help they could get.

"I'll do my best, Otou-Sama," she said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Akari rested his back against the wall in the front room, listening closely to see if the conversation between Yuya and her father-in-law would go any further but they were silent now and he assumed that Muramasa must have sensed his presence. He'd only caught the last parts after the other man told Kyo's wife what he'd meant to tell him yesterday, back before his anger got the best of him and he freaked out her little girl.

He wasn't sure why the older man had yet to tell Yuya about him being a male but he let it be. The shaman wasn't overly fond of explaining his upbringing and if Yuya was going to sincerely try and be his friend – something he _absolutely wasn't_ going to make easy for her – he didn't want it to be out of pity or anything like that.

"Is Kaa-Chan out there, Akari-San?" a sleepy voice asked and he nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned to face Aiko.

"Kami, don't sneak up on me like that!" he exclaimed and she only stared at him in confusion.

Those red eyes were unsettling and he wondered if she understood that he was eavesdropping on her family members. The moments ticked by as the girl stared at him in silence and he slowly relaxed when he figured out that she had no clue that he was being rude. He liked kids to a certain degree but was cautious nonetheless because he knew first-hand that they could be incredibly cruel if they so chose.

He was about to shoo her away when she asked him directly, "Why are you afraid?"

Akari paused and immediately shot her a glare as he responded archly, "I'm _never_ afraid."

Aiko shook her head and pointed at his face as she said, "Uh uh, I see it."

There was that strange wording again from the day prior and Akari was about to dismiss it when a disturbing thought occurred to him and he knelt down, taking Aiko's hands in his as he peered at her intently.

"So...you can see fear, huh? What does it look like Ai-Chan? Is it the same as yesterday when you said I was crying?"

She frowned and he could see the wheels turning in her head before she nodded hesitantly and said, "It's a mask again. But it's yellow and has a line here," she reached up to draw her finger down the middle of Akari's forehead where his brows would come together in a frown...or out of fear.

"And the mouth goes down here," she lightly touched the corners of his lips before withdrawing her hands shyly.

"That's...interesting," Akari said, his suspicions solidifying into realization, "Did you tell your mom about what you see?"

Aiko shook her head and he could see that having a stranger asking so many questions was starting to make her uncomfortable. Deciding to back off and speak with her mother and grandfather privately, he flashed her a kind smile and said, "You know, your family is outside and I bet they can't wait to see you again. Why don't you join them?"

She bobbed her head briefly in agreement and made her way outside at a slower clip than the night before when she'd ducked out to see her mother. He could see the questions swimming in those Kyo-like eyes but he maintained his friendly demeanor until she exited, shutting the door behind her.

Violet eyes stared thoughtfully after the child and their owner slowly crossed his arms across his middle in an instinctual gesture of self-defense as he scowled in thought. He wasn't looking forward to speaking with her family members, especially her mother, because most people tended to shy away from those who manifested any sort of unusual powers – even if that person was their own child. It was yet another thing he knew from experience.

 _'So, Kyo's wife wants to play nice?'_ he thought bitterly, _'Let's see how she handles having a little "monster" in the family.'_

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So Hishigi, how are the new dolls coming along?" the king asked as he pored over the manuscript in his hand, automatically reaching up to adjust his glasses as they slid down his nose.

"They are turning out very well, my liege," Hishigi said, holding out a report which his ruler plucked from his hands before sitting it gently down on his cluttered desk.

Very few people were allowed in the king's study. In fact, only the Taishirou, the female rare breed child, and sometimes Kyo's son were able to gain entrance. Therefore, he had no worries about someone stumbling in and reading his meticulous notes about the true nature of the Mibu Reconstruction Project. He was also not at all worried over his master's seeming disinterest in his analysis because he knew it would be read, examined from all angles, and then a plan would be put into action.

"The Doctor" was content to wait until he received clear orders on what to do with his research - it was what he preferred. Input went in, decisions were made on what to do next, and output was created and put into motion. It was simple and required him to do nothing outside of his designated job. No emotions or attachments required. Only results.

He waited as the king turned the pages of the book in his hands for a few minutes before asking, "Are the numbers integrated into the army satisfactory, Hishigi? Are we almost ready to proceed into the human world?"

"Yes, the current crop of dolls are quite satisfactory. The samples collected and the tests I have performed on Subject R are yielding excellent results."

"Subject R" was what he called the boy Fubuki's pupil was raising. He preferred not to use the real names of the people he experimented on. It was too personal and made it harder to maintain a disconnect between cold science and emotion.

"Hmm, that's good, I suppose. Still, it's a pity we couldn't get more results from Kyo's blood. He has been extremely uncooperative in bolstering our numbers the old-fashioned way. Any idea why that is?"

"Without experimentation, I cannot draw conclusions. He simply appears to be incapable of the sex act at this point in time. If he is of no further use, shall I dispose of him?"

"Oh no, no. Even if he isn't working out that way, I can always find a use for his body. No need to waste a perfectly good vessel. Still, if you'll forgive my insatiable curiosity, why is it that samples from Kyo's child yield better results than from Kyo himself?"

"I am not entirely sure of the cause and I have noted such in my report. However, the dolls created with Kyo's blood as a base - while displaying more power than any other type – are also more violent and aggressive. That in itself is not a problem but they are uncontrollable as well. The usual methods are ineffectual as they are generally immune to and quickly adapt to most poisons and seals we try to use on them. Everything about them is crafted for survival, including the ability to heal rapidly, and attempting to remove the components that make them so resistant to control has only resulted in useless creations. There is even a gene I have observed that is similar to what we see in our dolls who can shape-change but I am loathe to tap into it. We had to destroy the soldiers we created as they were too problematic."

"The one thing I can say is that we have learned more about Kyo's physiology than ever before. As noted prior, he is a full-blooded Mibu and is therefore unaffected by the Death Disease. It would also appear that he has a near limitless power contained inside of him that he has yet to tap into. If I had to hazard a guess, his natural aggression is his body's way of trying to reach that power. If you are determined to keep him, my lord, my prior recommendation stands. He must not be allowed to grow too much stronger or he runs the risk of breaking the seal we have placed on him and thus our control."

"Thank you for that, Hishigi. I will keep your recommendation in mind while we continue as we have. Still, you haven't answered my question about the boy."

"Forgive me. The samples from Subject R are a different matter. They yield dolls that are also stronger than our prior ones but far more manageable. They have a great deal of power, similar to those created from Kyo, but they are not completely immune to our usual methods of control. I believe it is a side-effect of the human DNA he has. As an added bonus, there have been a few dolls who have manifested unusual powers that are similar to those of a shaman. I believe that, given the nature of shamans in the past, this is also a result of his human blood."

"Now that _is_ interesting. Does Ryu show any indications of having those sorts of powers himself?"

"As yet, we have not observed anything but it would not be unusual if he did not have a gift himself. The potential is contained within his human blood but it is not common for abilities to develop in the first place. That does not preclude something happening down the line. According to #13, one of my more useful subjects, a shaman's power can manifest at anytime from birth to early adulthood."

"So, it's not off the table completely? How very fascinating. Please keep me up to date. Also, has the mysterious spy you've told be about reported anything new that is of note?"

"Yes, it would appear that the human woman who bore Kyo's offspring is still alive and currently living with Muramasa and Kyoshiro. There is also a young girl living there who has red eyes as well. It is not outside of the realm of possibility that the Demon Child's woman had a twin that we knew nothing about. While he has made foolish mistakes before, Muramasa is a very clever man."

"Apparently so," the king said as he closed his book and stared off into space for a moment in thought.

"I find myself curious about this child. Perhaps it would be prudent to retrieve her, as well as Muramasa. He must still answer for his crimes, you know," he said after a while.

"I will do whatever you wish. What of Kyo's female and Kyoshiro?"

"I'm not concerned about her. She is only human and the likelihood of her running into Kyo again is very low, even if she did make it back here. As for Kyoshiro...please let me handle him," he punctuated his words with a pleasant smile.

"Of course, my lord," Hishigi responded, knowing that the king would do as he saw fit with his Crimson Knight when he caught up to him. He did not envy Kyoshiro.

"Wonderful!" the king exclaimed, clapping his hands together once as if that to say "that's that" before continuing.

"Now, I'd like you to call the rest of my valuable Elders to my throne room. It's about time to put our plans into actions. Mankind has forgotten us long enough, don't you think?"

Though his feelings on warring with humanity were apathetic at best, he was content as always to receive direction and nodded his acquiescence. Input had been given. It was now time to output results. No additional thought was required.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ruru was in a bad mood.

Ryu cringed internally because that meant she would be more demanding than usual and he really didn't feeling like catering to her whims after the night he had. He was torn between disappointment and anger towards his master.

Shinrei had clearly known far more than he was letting on and it pricked the boy's sense of unfairness to be denied something as vital as knowing who ones parents were. For the first time in his short life, he had felt dissatisfied with his guardian. If he had parents who loved him, why couldn't he see them? What prevented them from coming for him?

It wasn't that his life was bad, he just didn't know where he belonged. Shinrei raised him, Ruru played with him, the king was kind to him on the rare occasions he saw him, and Hishigi stuck needles in him. He liked the first two things, the third was a mystery, and he despised the last one. The child could probably have coped with the uncertainty a bit longer if he hadn't garnered more questions than answers the night before.

Discontent was a dangerous thing.

So it was that as the day progressed with his playmate being her usual spoiled self, he found himself feeling less and less inclined to listen to her. He tuned her out and turned his mind inwards towards his own delimma and ignored her attitutde. It wasn't until Ruru started in on him over the fact that she hadn't gotten her way and had been shut out from the king during his meeting with the Taishirou - something that had never really happened to her before - that he ran out of patience with her.

Usually Ryu tried to control himself. Shinrei and his uncle Taihaku had always advocated patience by stressing to him that he had a lot of strength and that he could hurt someone if he wasn't careful. However, he found himself getting truly angry at his friend for the first time over her selfishness.

Here he was, feeling awful because the man he trusted above all others was keeping things from him, and Ruru had to come in with her stupid problems. So _what_ if the king had denied her something for once?! It wasn't like she had questions about where she came from or why she was there.

His upset came to a head when she grabbed him, mid-tirade, and said, "It's not fair. I didn't want to have to spend my day with, _you_!"

Logically, he knew she didn't really _mean_ to hurt his feelings. Ruru was awkward and terrible at expressing her emotions because she had never learned how to deal with other children – at least, that was how Shinrei explained it. Even though he knew the older girl truly liked and cared about him, something about the way she said " _you_ " made him feel as if he had been rejected. Deemed unworthy by someone who _knew_ where she originated. She already had what he wanted and resentment blossomed suddenly and violently. Paired with his already tumultuous emotions, it was more than he could bear at that moment.

He snapped.

Grasping the wrist of the hand holding his arm, he squeezed back hard and ordered in a soft voice, laced with menace, "Leave me alone, Ruru."

Ryu didn't mean to hurt her, really he didn't, but he felt something pop beneath his fingers at the same time she cried out in pain and clawed at him with her free hand to get away. For a moment, he felt like he wasn't himself as he looked at her with a complete disconnect and a voice in his mind whispered that she got what she got for putting her hands on him.

It was brief and then his conscience kicked in and he realized that she was crying and that he was scaring her in addition to hurting her. He immediately let her go and watched as she rapidly backedpeddaled away from him until her back hit one of the pillars in the room they usually chose to play in.

Her sobs echoed in the big empty room and he felt terrible.

"I'm...," he began, extending a hand towards her, "Ruru-Chan, I'm...s-sorry."

She flinched and shook her head in denial, edging away from him. This time, she actually _was_ rejecting him and that, paired with the bruising on her wrist as proof of what he'd done, made him want to cry as well. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. Annoying or not, he cared deeply for Ruru and always tried to be gentle towards her because she was both a girl and his friend.

Unable to take the fear in those pink eyes, he turned and fled the room, running who-knew-where in order to get away from what he'd done. He paid no attention whatsoever to where he was going, since his eyes were blurring with tears, and therefore missed the body laying in the middle of the corridor until he stumbled over it and landed in a heap, scraping his elbows in the process.

A yawn sounded behind him and he quickly scrambled to his feet, turning to see who it was that had tripped him up. To his relief, it wasn't a stranger. Rather, it was Keikoku and he relaxed a bit. Even if he rarely spent time around the man, he at least knew he couldn't hurt him like he had Ruru.

Ryu waited as the fire-user stretched and pushed himself up until he was sitting cross-legged and staring at him with sleepy golden eyes. Shinrei had once told him, in so many unflattering words, that Keikoku wasn't all there and had the mental capacity of a gnat. He saw evidence of that assessment as the man looked at him and cocked his head to the side because he clearly didn't remember him even thought they'd met a number of times.

Since he had nothing better to do and because it would distract him from his guilty thoughts, he decided to speak first and, indicating the corridor, asked, "Why were you lying here, Keikoku -Sama?"

Those eyes that were remarkably similar to his master's blinked and he moved his golden head to look around at his surroundings as if he had forgotten where he was – which was likely. He scratched his scalp for a moment before realization came to him and he pointed at the patch of sunlight he'd been lying in as he replied, "It was warm. So I laid down to take a nap."

The man shrugged and made as if he were going to lay down again before pausing to stare at the boy intently. It didn't take long for Ryu to grow uncomfortable with the scrutiny and he was about to leave the warrior to his own devices when he saw something click in those hazy eyes and they went from nonchalant to intense in less than a second.

"Wait a sec, I was looking for you Mini-Kyo."

Since Keikoku usually ignored him, the boy wasn't sure catching his attention was a good thing, but he waited anyways since he had nowhere better to be. That said, he wondered why the man called him "Mini-Kyo" when that wasn't his name.

Assuming that Keikoku had probably just forgotten his name he politely told him, "I'm sorry Keikoku-Sama, but my name is Ryu."

The other man snorted and said, "Knew that idiot would pick something without any imagination."

Ryu assumed that the "idiot" he was mentioning was his master since the two men were constantly at odds but, given his current dissatisfaction, he wasn't in the mood to defend the man who had raised him at this time.

As if he hadn't just given him his name, Keikoku continued, "Anyways, I wanted to see you Mini-Kyo. I think it was to annoy the idiot."

"Why do you want to annoy Shinrei-Sama? And why do you keep calling me Mini-Kyo?" Ryu asked, feeling a bit offended that the man didn't deem him important enough to commit his name to memory.

"Eh, because I like fighting and annoying the fool is fun. And you're Mini-Kyo because you look just like Kyo."

"And who is Kyo?" the boy prompted, genuinely interested now.

"He's the man I'm going to kill someday to become the strongest," Keikoku said with a yawn before hitting his palm with the bottom of his other fist, as if he had just remembered something, and saying sleepily, "Oh, and he's your dad."

Ryu felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his body and he stared at the man – who looked to be settling back into his nap - in amazement before marching over to him and grabbing a fistful of his clothing as he asked quietly, "You...you know my father?

Golden eyes stared back at him before their owner frowned and said, "Of course."

Gathering every shred of patience he had for speaking with the obtuse man, the boy followed it up with, "Where is he?"

He might have imagined the flash of understanding and calculation that went through those bright eyes but Keikoku's tone didn't alter as he replied, "They took him to Hishigi's lab years ago before they brought you here."

The child was so caught up in analyzing the knowledge he had just gained that he missed the part about being "brought" to the Mibu. Even though he hated the thought of going to Hishigi's lab voluntarily, he desperately wanted answers. He had a name for his father – Kyo. It was something to go on.

When he turned his attention back to Keikoku, he found that the man had slipped into unconsciousness once more and, shaking his head in resignation because he knew he'd get no further answers at the moment, set off for the Taishirou's workshop. He completely missed the keen eye that briefly cracked open and stared after him with its owner's certainty that he wasn't going to be bored for a while now.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So rumor has it that we're going to be putting the dolls to use at last," an assistant said and Ryu quickly ducked behind an operating table.

Slipping into the lab hadn't been hard, thanks to his small stature, but he knew things wouldn't go well if he got caught. However, he refused to leave without getting answers to some of his questions. If Shinrei wasn't going to give them to him then he would have to do things the hard way.

He ducked beneath a sheet which covered a still form on the operating table and huddled close to the stand keeping it upright, trying not to imagine who or what had been experimented on above him.

"On the one hand, I'm happy to see the fruits of our and Hishigi-Sama's labor, but I'm getting tired of disposing of the sex dolls because they can't get the Demon Child to perform. You think that human girl broke him?"

A second voice responded with a sly tone, "Maybe. I mean, a monster like that actually managed to produce a kid. She must have been some kind of woman. Who knows, maybe Hishigi will want to bring her back for study like he does with the brat."

"Oh, he might bring her back for "study" but it might be a whole 'nother type, if you get my drift. Sex isn't his thing but maybe he'll let us see what makes her so special."

The men laughed and Ryu tried to figure out what they meant and if the people they were referring to were his parents. It was as good a guess as any and he poked his head out slowly when he heard the retreating footsteps of the assistants. Since he had been in this lab plenty of times, he knew there was nothing of interest in this section but also knew that there was a lot more that he hadn't seen. Shinrei had once told him that Hishigi's labs extended from beneath the castle to well into other parts of the Mibu as part of some kind of maze.

After checking to make sure that there was no one else about, he followed the men as they opened a door and entered a long corridor. They didn't look back and he was relieved as they turned onto a side hallway and he followed them peeking around the corner as he listened to their conversation.

One assistant grabbed ahold of the other and said, "Wait a sec, we haven't checked on the sword yet today."

The second one shuddered and said, "I hate that creepy thing. I don't know how Kyo wielded it without going crazy."

"Yeah, I know. But Hishigi says it's a cut above the rest of the Muramasa blades and that it's best to keep tabs on it lest someone gets too close and ends up being possessed. We don't some maniac on the loose or, even worse, for it to find it's way back into the Demon Child's hands and undoing all of our hard work to make him a _model citizen_ , " his tone turned mocking on the last two words.

"Fine, I get it. Just make it snappy, please."

"Will do," the first man said before opening a door to his right and poking his head in briefly before yanking it back and saying shakily, "Yup, still there and still eerie. I swear it looks at you whenever you enter the same room as it."

"Yeah, makes my skin crawl too. Now let's get out of here," his companion said and they briskly walked away, eager to get away from whatever was in the room.

Ryu swallowed and quickly ran forward, catching the door before it could close and slipping inside the room that made the men so uncomfortable. He was wary of anything that seemed to inspire such fear but he was positive that the Kyo they had been speaking of was both the Demon Child and his father. He pressed his ear to the door, listening to make sure he hadn't attracted attention and let out the breath he'd been holding when he heard nothing.

The slight sound of chains rattling caught his attention and he turned to stare at the far wall where a sword hung. It was by far the longest blade he'd ever seen and he wondered how his father could possibly have drawn it, _if_ it was his weapon. For some reason, it was chained to the wall and the bonds were adorned with the sort of seals one might use to drive away evil.

There was a dull hum in the air and he heard the chains again. Walking forward cautiously and swallowing against the growing feeling of oppression that weighed on him the closer he got to the blade, he realized that he heard the sound of chains because the sword was vibrating against them. As if it were alive and testing it's bonds.

He got the strangest feeling as if he were being watched...hunted and he paused when he was inches away from the weapon, fighting an immensely strong fight or flight response. He licked his lips, pushing back the panic in favor of remembering that he was there to find out more about his father and might not get a second chance.

Closing his eyes for a moment before opening them resolutely, he reached forward between the chains and placed his hand on the sword's sheath, expecting something crazy to happen. The sword went still and he took in a relieved breath that froze in his nostrils as his body felt as if it were being pulled into multiple directions, forcing him to screw his eyes shut to avoid seeing his own death.

However, just as quickly as it started, it was over and he cracked his eyes open to see that he was in a bizzare landscape. The sky was pitch black and the grass was gray, along with the sparse trees dotting the landscape. Holding his hands out, he was surprised to see that they, along with his clothes were paper white.

Ryu spun in a circle, trying to figure out of he had died and gone to heaven when a deep voice sounded that made his entire body tense up.

"How curious," the voice said and he looked to his left to see a large wolf with white fur that rippled and curled, occasionally releasing a wisp or two like he was made of steam instead of flesh and blood.

Automatically, he took a step back as said shakily, "W-who are you? Are you a ghost?"

The wolf's eyes were comprised of completely white irises set in black sockets and they followed him closely as the beast replied, "Not exactly. I am Tenryo and you are trespassing. You are not my master though I smell his blood flowing through your veins. I will assume that it is your innocence that allows me to speak to you even though your father had not yet accomplished that when last he wielded me."

The beast turned dismissively and said, "I will release you from my thrall because you are of no use as a child. Leave here."

He started to pad away and Ryu knew that he couldn't go yet. Spirit or not, the strange wolf was the only individual who mentioned his father without acting as if there were something to hide. Running forward, he refused to consider the consequences as he grabbed ahold of the animal's tail and yanked backwards.

The response was immediate and he moved backward quickly to avoid the teeth that snapped in the air where he had been.

"Little fool! Willful like your sire. I will not be merciful a second time," the beast growled and Ryu screwed his eyes shut as the wolf lunged for him, intent on tearing out his throat.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Before you ask, no Ryu isn't possessed or anything when he hurts Ruru, he just has some of the same sociopathic tendencies as his father. I mean, is there anyone who doesn't see Kyo as a type of sociopath who's main nod to conscience is his upbringing by Muramasa and his love for Yuya? His sense of right and wrong aren't exactly on the same level as the rest of us. That's probably why it's so fascinating to watch how he develops in the manga because he was such an evil mofo in the beginning.

Also, I think Hotaru's brain is a permanent loading screen. :-P

Anywho, hope you enjoyed. More story coming up as the plot thickens. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.


	9. Ancient King and Connected Siblings

**Thanks to: joellesophya** (More on Aiko coming soon. And Hotaru is super fun to write. Someone helps Ryu and by extension Kyo but more on that below.), **Rinfantasy** (Will see if I can slip a little Kyo in. If not this chapter then definitely the next. In fact, now that I've laid the groundwork for the story, you'll be seeing a lot more of him.), **ThunderxShadow** (Yuya is key but so is Shinrei for pushing him to make a move. The Mibu are terrible but then they've been misguided for a while outside of the higher ups.), **lmamc, general zargon** (Don't worry. Ryu will be fine and then some. Now we get to the fun parts since the basic premise has been laid. I know the build-up was pretty slow.), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Happy you liked the way the last chapter went and the way I write Akari. He's so much fun! Tenrou is no one to mess with but...it'll turn out alright in the end. Also, who says Kyo and Yuya will meet in the Mibu lands? ;-P), **abattles2** (Hmm, everyone seems to believe that Kyo and Yuya will meet in the Mibu again. Just remember that plans don't always work out and Kyo isn't the type to stay put.), **M'Lady91** (Thanks!), **magicalnana** (Ryu will meet him eventually. Also, Ryu is not necessarily a shaman. Just like a person can carry genes for features they themselves do not have – like someone with brown eyes having genes for blue ones – it doesn't mean they will manifest. That said, there are perks to being Aiko's twin.), **Deby MU** (Thank you so much for taking the time out to review. I glad you enjoyed the prequel and are enjoying the sequel. I'm also happy the plot is understandable for you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and cheering me on. ^_^), **kyoandyuya** (Yuya is no one to screw around with and I'm glad you are still liking the characterizations in my fic because I'm really big on trying to keep people from falling into OOC territory), **midori318** (But...but I love cocoa. D-: It's okay, I found some of my own and it has whipped cream too, so there! Thbpt! ;-P Thanks anyways and hope you keep on enjoying.)

 **Author's Note:** In case you're wondering Tenryo is now corrected to Tenrou – I originally used Tenryo because of a bad translation - but I've changed it in this fic now that I've going re-editing the early chapters.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Eight**

 **Ancient King and Connected Siblings**

Ryu waited for the feel of cold fangs to start tearing into him.

And waited.

And waited.

"It's alright boy, no one's going to hurt you," a voice that sounded just like Tenrou's said.

He was reluctant to believe that he was safe and screwed his eyes even tighter, shaking his head. A deep chuckle sounded and a hand that was large enough to cover his head gave him a gentle pat. The sound of childish laughter reached his ears and he slowly opened his eyes, blinking at the bright light shining in his face as it reflected off of the gold-plated walls around him.

The boy moved his gaze from side to side, looking for Tenrou but the wolf was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw children chasing each other in what looked to be a game of tag. They were a mixed group of boys and girls, dressed in vivid silk clothing with pretty hair ornaments adorning the delicately formed girls. What caught his attention though were their eyes.

Just like his, they were red but, instead of a delineation between pupil, iris, and whites, theirs were crimson from end to end and inundated with a sparkle that was hard to describe. They were odd eyes but still mesmerizingly beautiful and he tried to figure out who they were and where he was. The person with the wolf's voice still had a hand on the top of his head and he reached up, intending to move it away so he could see who was touching him. However, he paused in the process of tugging at the long fingers when he touched what felt like claws on the tips.

"Who are you?" he asked the mystery person and let out a small yelp when the hand on his head was removed and he was summarily scooped up...and up and up some more by strong arms. Whoever the person was, he was very tall because the boy was higher than he'd ever been with anyone in the clan, even Taihaku.

"Who am I, indeed?" the man asked much closer to his ear,and he turned his head to look at his captor.

Ryu had never seen anyone quite like him. Like the children, he also had red eyes that took up his entire sockets and contained an unearthly glow. Unlike the children his also gleamed with knowledge and keen intelligence – as if he could see through everything and he knew that he couldn't hide any secrets from that gaze. Between those piercing eyes was a strange cluster of raised veins and his hair was a brilliant shade of red and so long that Ryu was certain that it had to reach below his waist.

There were bull-like horns poking out of those red strands that curled forward along the sides of his head and he was dressed in white and black robes that were decorated with some sort of cryptic writing. Over the robe was a long coat emblazoned on each shoulder with the Yin-Yang symbol and he could see long black spires poking above his head which seemed to originate somewhere on his back. If he had to describe the feel he gave off, he would have said he reminded him a bit of the Crimson King but slightly scary.

The boy brought his gaze back to those intense eyes once he finished analyzing the man's garb and frowned as he tried to figure out who the man was and where Tenrou had gone. He was happy to be alive but thoroughly confused at that point.

"I can just see that mind working overtime," the man said with a grin that revealed wickedly sharp fangs.

Such a sight should have been terrifying but he felt safe somehow. Something about the man gave off the impression of absolute power and he found himself comforted by that mischievous expression, as if everything was going to be alright.

That monstrous grin morphed into a warm smile and the man said, "There's a good boy. You're certainly a lot more trusting than your daddy, that's for sure."

Ryu's eyes widened and he stared at the man in shock as he asked, "You know my father? Who is he? Where is he?"

The stranger chuckled again and hoisted him up, neatly seating him on his shoulders and forcing him to hold onto his hair to keep from sliding off as the man walked over to the children playing.

"Sure I know your dad. After all, he _is_ the last of my children."

"Really? So does that make you my grandfather?" the boy asked, curious about meeting a new family member and enjoying the view from more than seven feet up in the air.

"Sure it does. But you can call me Jii-Chan," he said cheerfully.

Ryu smiled. For a monster, his grandfather was pretty chipper.

A thought occurred to him and he shyly touched one of those strange horns as he asked, "But if you're my grandfather, how come I don't have horns or claws?"

"Ah, well the horns aren't real. They're actually a joke I plan to play on your father when he get's off his butt and learns to listen to his sword. He's so stubborn," there was a wealth of exasperation in that sentence and Ryu stifled a laugh at hearing such a powerful being expressing something as human as annoyance.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you? What's a cheeky kid like you called anyways?"

"Sorry Jii-Chan. My name is Mibu Ryu."

"That's a nice name. And how did you come to see me, Ryu-Chan?"

"I was looking for my father and Keikoku-Sama said he went to Hishigi-Sama's lab a long time ago. The people there were talking about his sword. So I followed them to it and touched it. Then there was a scary wolf and I grabbed his tail because I wanted him to tell me about my father. He was going to hurt me but when I opened my eyes I was here. By the way...," he twisted his head this way and that, searching for the white wolf.

"Where is Tenrou?"

"He's more-or-less me, actually," his grandfather said, "The sword you touched was forged by Muramasa, the man who raised your father. I have to give it to him, he made an excellent weapon to be able to call on a spirit like Tenrou. I couldn't have fused with any old sword, you know."

Ryu nodded even though he didn't quite understand what he meant by fusing with a sword spirit.

"Anyways, it was a foolish thing to put your hand on Tenrou but I can feel the turmoil inside of you. You must have been feeling really desperate, huh?"

"Yes. I was sad because my master won't tell me who my parents are. And I hurt my only friend...," he paused for a moment, trying to get his next words out past the shame welling up in his throat.

One clawed hand reached up to squeeze his leg lightly, reassuring him and giving him the strength to continue on.

"It was...like I was someone else. I didn't even care at first that I hurt her," the last part came out on a near whisper.

"Yeah, it's that dark Mibu blood in action," the man holding him replied matter-of-factly, "It makes us say and do things we don't always mean. But, that's a conversation for another day. I can tell you are a good kid. How would you like to play with a few of my little friends?"

The boy looked at the other children galavanting about so happily and felt a surge of excitement. He hadn't had a chance to play with other children besides Ruru before and their mirth was infections.

"That sounds like fun," Ryu said and his grandfather reached up, deftly plucking him from his shoulders and setting him on the ground.

"Then go ahead and play. And when you wake up, I'm sure things will have been set in motion and hopefully you'll see your father soon."

"I hope so too," the child said as he turned and headed off the play with the other kids.

Once Ryu was out of earshot, his grandfather's smile turned sly and he whispered to himself, "Now then, let's see what this little body is capable of."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Back in Hishigi's lab, Ryu's eyes opened and the person looking out from them smiled at having successfully taken control of his grandson's body. Tenrou hummed beneath his small fingers and he sucked his teeth in amusement at the method they had used to seal the sword away. For a normal Mibu member, the barrier would have been hard to penetrate but with a body that carried his own blood, it was childsplay – pun intended - for him to run his hand over the chains and break it. He could have taught Ryu how to do it but it would have taken far too much time and he preferred it if the boy didn't know what he was doing.

The First Crimson King had every intention of having the boy meet his sire but it had to be at the right time. Having been out of contact with his son through Tenrou for the past few years, he needed to see where Kyo's mind was, otherwise what should be a happy reunion for father and son might turn into a nightmare for everyone involved.

Pulling the Muramasa free from the wall, he slung the sword over his shoulder and was grateful that his grandson was a strong child because a normal boy would have had to drag the blade across the ground. Moving swiftly, he pulled the door open and poked his head out, lifting his nose and scenting the air to see if he had company. There was something to be said for the pleasure of breathing, smelling, and touching the outside world after millennia of hanging out as a spirit.

His smile widened and he set out at a brisk pace, sifting through Ryu's limited knowledge of Hishsigi's labs and his own memories to find his way to the separate exit that he knew led to a different wing of the castle - the side that housed the guests that the king liked to keep close. Since Ryu had never seen his father, he assumed that his son was probably there, in a place where he had been forbidden to go. He had to duck into a corridor a few times to avoid Hishigi's assistants, but he made it to the door without incident and tsked at yet another seal that had been placed to keep people out.

As much as he would have preferred subtlety to keep the lab's occupants from realizing that someone knowledgeable enough to break down Hishigi's barriers was on the loose, time was of the essence. Touching his tongue to a tiny fang in concentration, he placed both hands on the door and dissolved the bonds keeping it shut, watching in satisfaction as ancient letters glowed briefly before melting away. He could feel Ryu getting restless where he'd left him and sped up, hitting the stairwell and ascending to the next level. Pulling from his grandson's memory of his personal scent, he paused at each landing, sniffing the air for a similar smell until he hit on one that seemed promising at the twentieth floor.

Following his nose, he reached the door where it was the most concentrated and paused, ascertaining whether or not the room was occupied. After determining that Ryu's father was not in residence, he pushed against it, glad to see that it opened easily, and entered. He paused in the doorway, taking in the simply arranged yet lavish furnishings.

Even though the king really didn't have a moment to spare, he walked over to the bed slowly, examining the room and wondering how his son was doing. He knew the boy had grown up into a fine man and found a good woman to give him children but knowing was only partly satisfying. What he longed to do was hold his grandchild for real, to pat his son on the head and tell him he was proud of him, to guide him as a father should.

Placing Tenrou in the center of the bed, he paused to run a hand over the rumpled sheets and sighed because this was as physically close to Kyo as he was ever going to get. Unfortunately, his grandson's body was getting tired from his manipulations - he had been careful to maintain the link between mind and body to ensure Ryu would be able to return safely - and he pulled his hand back, quickly exiting the room and heading downstairs via another route to avoid returning to Hishigi's labs in case someone discovered that he'd broken the seal on the door.

There was a secret passage, if he recalled correctly, on the tenth floor that would send him to the regular part of the castle. Much of the structure had been damaged when the Mibu warred against and slaughtered each other but, since the sealed door in Hishigi's lab had remained the same from when it's previous occupant used it, he assumed that the new Mibu clan had rebuilt the castle to original specifications.

His suspicions were correct and he finished his descent and relocated himself to a section that would have been accessible to his grandson, laying his small body on a lone couch sitting against the wall and groaning as he felt a strong tug on his psyche due to the abnormal distance from his home in Muramasa's sword. Before long, he and Ryu would be snatched back to their respective places and he would have to begin the arduous process of prodding his contrary son in the proper direction.

Before he sent Ryu back, though, he intended to give him a gift for being such a brave boy and helping him to reunite with Kyo of a sorts. Recalling something that had caught his eye when he first saw the child, he smiled and relaxed, allowing Ryu's body to slip into sleep as he rejoined him in the world connected to Tenrou. Courtesy of a certain vision Kyo's miko friend had once had, he was certain his surprise would be a pleasant one.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Even though he was having a great time with his friends, Ryu was getting tired and knew that Shinrei was probably looking for him by now. Politely extracting himself from the other children and grinning at the chorus of "aww's" and "please don't's", he walked over to his grandfather and said, "Can you please send me back, Jii-Chan?"

For a long moment, his grandfather continued to stare off into space and then he blinked and bent his head to stare down at him.

"Sorry, Ryu-Chan. What was that?"

"I asked if you could please send me back."

"Of course. I just need you to shut those eyes of yours and relax."

Nodding, Ryu was about to close his eyes again in expectation of returning to his home, only to be halted by a hand on his shoulder.

Looking questioningly back at the tall man, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Before you go, I wanted to check something out. It might be nothing but I noticed a strange item around your waist a while ago. Do you know what it is?"

Ryu had no idea what he was talking about and looked down, wondering what he could possibly have seen. His clothes were the same as they'd always been, a small white tunic and plain shoes, but a gleam of gold caught his eye and he squinted at it, just able to make out what looked like a thread wrapped around his waist. He followed the line and saw where it was knotted on his left side.

"I've never seen it before," he answered truthfully. He got the feeling that the king knew what it was and was trying to lead him to a specific discovery.

"Interesting. Then maybe it's something you wouldn't normally see with the naked eye. It would make complete sense since you are here now. Why don't I give it a closer look and see where it's from?"

The boy nodded and waited as his grandfather ran a clawed hand from the knot at his side to the tail of the thread that was dangling off to the side, lifting it gently with one long finger and following it away from him until it disappeared into thin air. However, as the man gently pulled upwards, the disappearing end was pulled taut as if it were hooked to something they couldn't see.

"Now that _is_ interesting. It looks like someone has formed a connection of some sort to you."

"How?" Ryu asked, feeling a bit perturbed and weary, both in mind and body.

"There are a number of ways to accomplish that but, since I'm dying of curiosity and I don't feel any malice, why don't we give this a tug and see who comes calling, Ryu-Chan?"

Before the child could voice any misgivings, his grandfather had pulled on the thread and a shriek sounded as a girl literally fell out of thin air and the tall man had to catch her.

"Woah there, little one. Don't hurt yourself, now," he said as he sat her on her feet.

She stumbled forward a few steps before whirling around and looking about in obvious panic. Ryu watched her in fascination, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. She was a pretty child with red-gold hair done up in pigtails and a simple pink kimono which bore a tiny butterfly print. What kept him riveted to the spot was her eyes. With the exception of their narrow shape, they were just like his, bright red.

He took a step towards her and she took a hesitant step back as she regarded him with surprise and a bit of fear.

"Where's Kaa-Chan," she asked in a tiny voice, scanning the perimeter once more for her mother.

"I don't know," he said gently and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Aiko wants Kaa-Chan," she wailed and he watched, transfixed, as the thread – which was connected around her wrist – glowed briefly and then he was crying as well even though he hadn't been distraught a moment ago.

"Welp, looks like we know who attached a bond to you," his grandfather said as he bent down to Aiko and stroked her head, murmuring nonsense words to comfort her.

"I gu...guess," Ryu managed to get out between involuntary sobs.

"What an interesting power," the man said, almost to himself.

"W...who is sh...she?" his grandson asked, getting annoyed at losing control of his own emotions. He might have cried a bit earlier over his actions towards Ruru but this was ridiculous.

"If I had to guess, I'd say she's your twin sister," his grandfather replied with another grin.

That silenced the girl at last and she stared at Ryu with wide eyes as she asked, "You're m..my brother?"

Relieved at being released from her thrall, he answered shakily, "I guess s...so if Jii-Chan s...says that's what it is."

Both children turned to look at the tall man watching them with amusement writ large across his face and Aiko asked, "My name is Aiko. Are you my Jii-Chan, too?"

Their grandsire nodded mutely and Ryu followed her question up with, "How did you know she was my sister?"

He didn't even wait for the man to reply before continuing in a suspicious tone, "You already knew she was connected to me by that thread, didn't you?"

His grandfather's brows shot up and he looked away quickly, saying in a jovial voice that didn't fool anyone, "I don't know what you could be talking about."

The boy pressed his lips together and was about to pursue the matter when his vision swam and he staggered forward, clutching his head in pain. Small hands grabbed ahold of his arm and he looked up into the concerned eyes of his newfound sibling.

"Uh oh, looks like our time is up. I was hoping to give you a little time with your sister as a reward for helping me out but it'll be too dangerous to keep you here much longer and Aiko-Chan is going to go back to where she came from once you leave. Therefore, I have a message for both of you."

The children perked up and listened closely as he said, "Ryu, you absolutely must not tell anyone about me and what went on today. As far as everyone is concerned, you went off and hid to think of a way to apologize to your friend. It's not a lie, they just don't have to know where you hid."

Ryu nodded in agreement. He wasn't supposed to be in Hishigi's lab in the first place and he didn't want anyone to figure out that he knew about his father.

"Aiko," the man turned to the young girl and she gave a little start, since she wasn't used to him just yet, which caused her grandfather to soften his tone, "Please take a message to your mother. Tell her to go to Edo and gather her friends and that I will send your father to see her. Can you remember to do that?"

She nodded and slowly slid her fingers down her brother's arm until she was clasping his hand. He gave her a reassuring smile, already feeling protective over her and she offered one in return, projecting feelings of happiness through their connection.

"Ah, I have such adorable grandkids," the man in front of them said proudly, before placing a hand on each of their heads and saying, "All it takes is a blink and you'll be home again."

Ryu tightened his grip on Aiko's hand, memorizing the feel of it and meeting her red eyes one last time before slowly lowering his eyelids...

...And waking up to the sight of Shinrei's worried face hovering over his own.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya was almost certain that her heart stopped when, in the middle of chattering to the adults around her over lunch, Aiko's laughter paused and she simply froze. At first they thought she had been playing a joke but, after a few seconds of watching her child's face - eerily devoid of expression with those red eyes staring unblinkingly off into nothing - they realized that something was seriously wrong.

Having her normally lively child go from animated to expressionless in the time it took to blink was horrifying and the moment she knew all was not well, Yuya reached out to shake her small shoulder, asking as calmly as she could, "Ai-Chan, are you alright?"

When the girl failed to respond, her mother's movements became more vigorous and she started to panic as she called her name over and over, trying to bring her back. Muramasa caught her hand and stopped her once her voice slipped from calm, to worried, to borderline hysterical.

"Hold on, Yuya. I don't think that's going to work. Aiko isn't here right now."

Whirling around to pin him with dark green eyes, she demanded, "What do you mean she isn't here? Where could she possibly go?"

"I...am unsure. All I know is that I can't sense her mind at all and usually she is an open book to me," her father-in-law responded hesitantly and that did nothing to calm her down. If even Muramasa didn't know what was going on, she darn sure didn't know how to proceed.

Reaching out, she gathered her silent daughter into her arms and hugged her close, rocking back and forth like she did when she wanted to soothe her baby girl from a bad dream. Except this time it was to reassure herself by feeling how warm the girl's body was. Closing her eyes, she prayed for her child, ready to promise anything to bring Aiko back.

The men allowed her to have a moment and Akari merely looked on with an indecipherable expression before Kyoshiro stood up and touched Yuya's shoulder and said, "Let's get her into a bed at least. You can keep watch over her there."

The bounty huntress nodded and stood, refusing to allow the former assassin to take her child as she carried her to the room they shared, placing the girl on her small futon and drawing the covers over her. She stroked that precious red-gold hair and barely noticed when Muramasa and Kyoshiro left the room, leaving Akari behind.

Yuya was completely absorbed in watching over her child and the priestess called her name a few times before growling, standing up, and crouching down next to her and snapping her fingers in the young woman's face.

Blinking, Kyo's wife asked, "What is it? I'm not in the mood for your prodding right now."

Akari let out and offended sniff and said, "Contrary to popular belief, not _everything_ is about _you_."

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black," Yuya shot back but, as usual, the shaman continued on as if she hadn't spoken.

"I've been meaning to talk to you all day, Yuya-San," she said and the blonde was surprised that she was actually being almost respectful.

"What about? If it's concerning Kyo, now isn't the time."

"No, it's not about him this time. It's about Ai-Chan," she said and, for the first time, she saw Akari look a little uncomfortable.

"Did she do something to you? I wouldn't think so since she's usually very sweet," Yuya said.

"Actually, Ai-Chan is a very kind...and very special child," the priestess said as she rubbed her right hand over top of her left. The bounty huntress noted that she seemed to do that a lot. Perhaps it was a nervous habit.

Looking from Aiko's still face to the priestess, the gist of the conversation clicked in her head and she asked suspiciously, "Do you know something about what's wrong with her?"

"Yes and no. No, I don't know exactly what's going on with her right now. Yes, I think her gift is connected to it."

"What do you mean by gift, Akari-San?"

"What I'm saying is that I'm fairly certain that Aiko is like me, a shaman," she immediately tensed and Yuya stared at her blankly, wondering why she was flinching.

A few moments passed while Akari looked as if she had an ax hanging over her head and Yuya frowned in confusion as she said, "So Aiko is a shaman? I've heard the term but I don't quite understand what it entails. Is it something bad?"

Akari stared at her in shock for a moment before her cheeks pinked and she cleared her throat in embarrassment before saying snootily, "You don't even know what a _shaman_ is? How could Kyo have married such an ignorant woman?"

Yuya's eye's narrowed into slits and she reached out, fisting her hand in the front of Akari's robe and ignoring her squeal of indignation as she asked with deadly calm, "What part of my face looks like I'm in the mood for your idiocy right now? Stop beating around the bush and get to the point so I can figure out what is happening to my child."

The shaman held her gaze for a moment before she sighed and said, "Fine, I'll admit my timing could be better. Basically, a shaman is a human with the ability to manipulate ki in ways that the Mibu and other humans can't. Most tend to become priests or mikos in order to learn how to control their powers."

"And what do these powers entail?" the young woman asked.

"A variety of things. Some can foretell the future. Others can look into the past. Some can control the people around them like puppets. In my case I can give life...and take it away," she paused and Yuya felt as if the priestess was bracing herself mentally for Yuya's response.

She had no idea what the priestess was expecting from her and so decided to ask her what she meant about giving life.

"What does giving life entail? Is it like resurrecting the dead?"

"No, nothing that powerful although there are people in the Mibu who can. What I can do is heal people."

"Really? How does that work," Yuya asked, genuinely curious about such a neat gift.

"It's easier to show you. Do you have a wound on you at the moment? Most people have a scratch or two at any given time."

"Actually I do," the bounty huntress said, shifting her leg forward and showing her the wound she'd received from her last bounty.

"Hmm, that'll do. Usually I request a secret in exchange for my services but I'll give you this one for free," Akari said and held her hands over the injury.

The young woman looked on in fascination as a warm glow emanated from the shaman's hands and the wound began to close before her very eyes. Her eyes widened and she smiled at Akari once the glow faded and exclaimed, "That's such a cool power!"

The priestess' cheeks flushed and she flipped her hair over her shoulder as she said, "Of course, Akari-Sama is no one to trifle with."

Realizing that her reaction had embarrassed the woman, Yuya quickly asked, "Is it possible to help Aiko?"

Akari peered at the child and held her hands over her, causing them to glow once more briefly before shaking her head and responding, "No, this isn't something I can heal. We'll have to wait this one out. As I was about to say, shaman powers come in all shapes and sizes. Usually people are afraid of us and the Mibu used to hunt us down years ago," though she didn't say it out loud, Yuya had a feeling that Akari had bad memories of the Mibu as well.

"I think Aiko has an ability too. I saw evidence of it yesterday."

"Hmm," Yuya looked at her child and stroked her head before asking, "Is this something she should hear herself?"

"It might be prudent but...," the shaman's words were interrupted by a low moan that emanated from Aiko and the young woman promptly turned all of her attention to her stirring offspring.

Those red eyes blinked and came back into focus, immediately seeking Yuya out and reaching out to her with a small hand which her mother clasped.

"Are you alright, Ai-Chan?" Yuya asked as her daughter looked around with a dazed expression, trying to figure out where she was before nodding.

"Where were you?" Akari asked softly.

Aiko licked her dry lips and said, "Don't know. Aiko was supposed to tell Kaa-Chan something."

"I'm sure it can wait," the bounty huntress said and, to her surprise, Aiko shook her head in the negative.

"No, Aiko has to tell you now. The man said you have to get your friends and go to Edo. He said he's sending Tou-Chan to you."

She stared at her daughter in disbelief before saying, "I was already planning to go to Edo to get Tora-San and Sasuke-Kun. But what's this about sending your father to see me? Who told you that?"

"Jii-Chan," Aiko said simply.

"But your Jii-Chan is right here," Yuya said.

"No, that's Jii-San. This was Jii-Chan."

"I'm still not following you. Are you saying you have another grandfather?"

Her daughter nodded and said, "Yes, the Jii-Chan with Ryu-Chan."

Yuya frowned, not liking the thought of her hanging around with two unknown males, and asked, "Who is Ryu?"

Aiko smiled dreamily and said, "My brother."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sometimes I feel like I'm writing a soap opera. Anyways, I apologize for any typos. It's midnight and I'm not sure I'm going to have internet tomorrow so I didn't proofread yet but I wanted to pop this out quickly as a "thank you" to all the nice people who enjoyed and reviewed the last chapter. You all are very inspiring and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me know your thoughts.

More Kyo coming up in the next chapter and probably from now on now that he has his sword back.


	10. Secondhand Memories and Riotous Emotions

**Thanks to: magicalnana** (Thanks and yes, the Mibu took his sword away after stealing his memories to slow his progress and to keep it from helping him to remember his past), **Rinfantasy** (Yuya just got thrown for a loop, that's for sure), **kyoandyuya** (Yup, Aiko has the power. Ryu will hopefully see his dad before too long but I'm still working out the details), **Deby MU** (Thank you so much and, yes, Kyo will escape the Mibu. I also hope to have Ryu at least get a glimpse of his dad but I can't promise they'll meet face-to-face.), **lmamc** , **midori318** (It would have been weird for Yuya to have a husband who can cut things with air, summon a giant firebird, wield an evil sword with its own personality, and make people curl up into a ball and suck their thumb from fighting spirit alone and then turn around and say, "What, you can heal things like an X-Man?! No soup for you!" Lol.), **joellesophya** (Looking forward to getting everyone back together myself.), **J Luc Pitard** (The whole thing with the first king in the manga was a little half-baked I think. Looking at his words, it's implied that he's known Kyo from childhood but it felt like Kamijyo realized that she hadn't fully explained where Kyo came from and added that in. Still like the king's character though, he's ludicrously powerful but playful too. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and the twins.), **Guest** (Wish granted!)

 **Author's Note:** I've been getting a lot of questions on whether Kyo with meet Ryu and the answer is, not just yet. As the First King noted, it isn't necessarily the right time. Kyo doesn't remember Yuya or her pregnancy and therefore would have no clue whatsoever who Ryu is since he never met him. Remember, his personality is closer to where it was when he first met Yuya before he experienced personal growth and fell in love with her. That said, Ryu will get to see him, if from afar, before Kyo leaves the Mibu.

Also, I screwed up in calling Hotaru "Hotaru" because he is still Keikoku to the Mibu. Had to go back and fix it because I don't want a repeat of being stuck with Tenryo vs Tenrou for oodles of chapters like in the last story.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Nine**

 **Secondhand Memories and Riotous Emotions**

Yuya stared at Aiko's smiling face, vacillating between shock, concern, and cautious hope.

In light of her daughter's bizarre moment of mental relocation, she decided to humor the girl and asked, "Are you sure you met your brother? How did you meet him? What's he like? And what was this Jii-Chan you met like, as well?"

The girl's brow furrowed and she started at her mother so intently that Yuya was feeling a touch uncomfortable by the time her child said, "Kaa-Chan's face is different."

The bounty huntress reached up and gave her checks a pat, trying to figure out what was on her face. A tap on the shoulder brought her gaze back to Akari who said quietly, "That's her ability at work. Apparently she can literally see emotions. She described mine to me as if I were wearing a mask."

"Oh, that's not particularly scary," the young woman said with a smile.

The priestess gave her a long look before muttering, "Lets hope so."

The negativity in that simple statement spoke volumes and Yuya sighed, turning back to Aiko as she said, "I'll ask you about what you see on my face in a little while but, for now, I'd love to hear a bit more about your brother. His name is Ryu, right?"

Aiko nodded and her smile reappeared as she described her sibling to her mother. Yuya absorbed every word as her daughter spoke about her "pretty" brother with black hair and red eyes, just like hers, who cried when she did, held her hand, and bravely asked questions of her scary "Jii-Chan". It was obvious that the girl already adored her twin and she could only think how relieved she was that her child had made it back safely and how happy she was to know that her son was alive and well.

Some people might have dismissed the girl's words as nothing more than fancy but Yuya trusted that she was telling the truth even if she didn't know exactly where she had gone. Her descriptions of Ryu – she thought the name wasn't bad at all – were detailed enough as well as those of her grandfather. The bounty huntress wasn't sure what to make of a tall man with red hair and eyes, horns, and claws. She didn't doubt that Aiko had seen the man but he obviously wasn't human and she had to wonder if he were truly Kyo's father or a demon of some sort. Of course, Kyo wasn't human either so there was that.

At the end of the tale, her daughter said, "And there was a string tied here," lifting her wrist to show her mother but Yuya didn't see anything and Aiko blinked, turning her hand this way and that as she tried to find the thread.

"It was there, Kaa-Chan, and it went to Ryu-Chan."

Her little face was sliding towards disappointment at losing her link to her brother when Akari interrupted and said, "I'm sure it's still there, Ai-Chan. Usually a thread signifies someone you are inextricably tied to but the most common one you hear of is the fabled Red String of Fate. It sounds like you went to a place where a spirit of some sort dwells and that's probably why you could see it there and not here."

Aiko nodded, only half understanding what she was saying, and Yuya realized that Akari had explained it for her benefit as well. However, she had enough sense to realize that nothing good would come of acknowledging the shaman's rare bout of kindness - the woman couldn't take a compliment without going on an arrogant tangent. She simply chose to bob her head along with her child.

"Well, sounds like you had quite the adventure," Yuya said, "Let's go see Kyoshiro Ji-Chan and your other grandfather. I'm sure they're worried about you. Besides, you look like you could use a drink of water Ai-Chan."

"Yes," the girl said and rose on her own, giving no indication of her previous inactivity as she slid her hand into her mother's and silently urged her to stand as well.

The bounty huntress exchanged a quick look with Akari and the priestess nodded, telling her without words that they would continue the discussion about Aiko's powers after they caught the former Elder and assassin up on things.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So far, Shinrei's day had been disastrous.

First Ruru had burst into his room, crying her eyes out and telling him that Ryu – calm Ryu who never lost his temper – had gotten mad and hurt her. He wanted to dismiss it as the usual quarreling that children were prone to until he saw her swollen wrist and the purple bruises in the distinct shape of fingers. He'd immediately sprung into action and, after handing Ruru off to a servant to get looked at, he went on a search for his missing student.

The young man looked all over the place, from the courtyard to the room the children usually played in. He bypassed both Hishigi's lab entirely - since he knew Ryu would rather die than enter it willingly - and the staircase leading to Kyo's section of the castle since no one could enter it unless they had been given the ability. No matter where he searched, he couldn't seem to find hide nor hair of his charge and he was seriously starting to get worried when he stumbled across his half-brother lounging in one of the many hallways in the castle.

Unsurprisingly, his day went from bad to worse.

Keikoku took his sweet time getting up after he roused him from his nap and just stood there staring at him, with the vacant expression he hated so much in those golden eyes that were disturbingly similar to his own. Shinrei explained to him as best he could what had happened and inquired of his sibling about Ryu's whereabouts.

Of course, because the fire-user just loved to piss him off, he blinked once at the end of his story and asked, "Who are you looking for again, stupid Shinrei?"

His fellow Star reached deep down inside himself and prayed to the Crimson King for patience as he slowly repeated his tale as if he were speaking to an idiot – because he was – and asked a second time, "Have you seen a little boy."

Keikoku took his time as he turned his brother's words over in his head and open his mouth to exclaim, "Ah!"

That raised Shinrei's hopes and he perked up as he asked, "So, you've seen him?"

The blonde scratched his head and said, "You're talking about Mini-Kyo?"

Since Ryu bore a striking resemblance to his father, he had to be "Mini-Kyo" and Shinrei nodded eagerly, glad that the synapses in his brother's well-baked brain were finally firing.

"Hmm, I saw Mini-Kyo earlier," Keikoku said, yawning widely.

Hurrying his brother along would be a fruitless endeavor, so he held his breath and counted to ten as he waited for the other man to dredge up the information he needed from his pitiful memory.

"When and where?"

"Here in the castle," he continued before pausing and scrunching his face up in concentration.

With ill-concealed impatience, Shinrei prompted him with, "When did you see him in the castle?"

Keikoku yawned again and had himself a nice long stretch, deliberately testing his patience he was sure, before he blinked once more and said, "I think it was a year ago."

His brother's hope promptly took a nosedive and his composure withered as he compressed his lips together and said, "I don't know why I bother with such a useless fool like you. A simple question and you can't even give me a straight answer. Just how much do you hate me?"

It was a rhetorical question but Keikoku looked him dead in the eye and that golden gaze turned mutinous as he said clearly, "More than anything."

Shinrei sucked his teeth and shot back, "Why can't you just grow up? I could put up with your idiocy if you didn't keep trotting out the worst of it just to annoy me. What is your problem?"

"My problem?" Keikoku said and discomfort worked its way down his brother's spine as a knowing look appeared in those normally hazy eyes.

"You keep running around all the time and worrying over useless things without knowing what goes on around you. I hate you because you are stupid and believe anything your masters tell you, living in a dream world and ignoring the things you don't want to see."

It was one of the most coherent combination of sentences he had ever heard from that mannerless mouth and he gaped for a moment before realizing that he looked like the fool his brother always accused him of being and snapped his mouth shut.

Shinrei wanted to say that he had no idea what his half-brother meant. That the words coming out of Keikoku's mouth were the usual random mutterings that could be easily ignored. But he didn't dare contest them because the other man wasn't lying. The Taishirou were meeting more and more frequently – in fact, they were together at that very moment- and the Mibu were still dying.

Even if he wasn't privy to the plans that went on in the background, he _knew_ that something was going to happen and had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good. However, since he'd rather gouge his own eyes out than admit that his brother was right about anything, he settled for silence, opting instead to continue his quest for Ryu.

Holding his head up, he stepped past the fire-user, intent on ignoring him, and mentally cringed as his brother chuckled a bit before saying, "Go ahead and run, cowardly Shinrei."

He had nothing he dared to say to the other man in response and so he continued on his way with as much dignity as he could. After another hour of searching, he finally found his charge sleeping on a couch in one of the rarely used rooms of the castle.

It took a few attempts to rouse him and when he finally did the boy awoke slowly and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

"Shinrei-Sama," Ryu said softly and the water-user breathed an inward sigh of relief that the child appeared to be safe and sound.

"How did you get here, Ryu, and where have you been?" Shinrei asked sternly once he was sure he was alright.

The youth looked around for a moment and said, "I don't know. I ran away because I...," he paused briefly and continued on in a voice laden with guilt, "...I hurt Ruru-Chan."

"So I heard," his master said, helping him up into a sitting position.

"What I don't understand is what could possibly have made you so angry. You usually have more control over yourself."

Ryu averted his face and said, "I know. I wanted to find out more about my parents and I was mad because I don't know where I belong and Ruru-Chan was being annoying."

There it was again, the mention of his parents and the longing in Ryu's voice tore at his heart. He usually tried to give the boy what he wanted within reason but he couldn't do it this time without betraying the clan.

 _"Cowardly Shinrei."_

Keikoku's words echoed through his head and he reflexively drew Ryu closer as he said, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. You _should_ apologize to Ruru though."

"Yes, Shinrei-Sama. I was going to anyways," the boy said, sliding off the couch.

"Good, let's go then. And I _still_ want to know where you've been."

Ryu flinched minutely and the older man assumed that it was because he was worried about being punished.

"Am I in trouble?" the child asked.

"I've been searching for you for quite some time Ryu but, in deference to your age and your mental state, I will be lenient this time. However, I think it's time for me to start training you. You need more control otherwise you really _will_ hurt someone," Shinrei said and smiled as Ryu's head snapped up in shock.

"I thought you said I was too young, Shinrei-Sama."

"I believed you were but now I think it will be a good outlet for your feelings. Channeling your aggression will be good for you and everyone else involved."

"Okay," Ryu said, the beginnings of a grin touching his lips.

Shinrei took his hand in his and started leading him back to his room with plans to stop and see Ruru on the way. He kept a calm face on the outside but inside his thoughts were in turmoil because he knew Ryu wouldn't stop trying to find out about his mother and father. Offering to train him was only a temporary reprieve and he felt like he was being pulled in two directions.

Always, the truth was there, poised on the tip of his tongue and waiting to be set free, to give Ryu relief from his disquieting thoughts because he shouldn't have to feel like some sort of unwanted orphan. But he had a duty to the clan, to protect their plans and their secrets, to preserve their way of life. Loyalty and obligation versus love and honor. A rich history that spanned millennia or a mere child of only a few years. It should have been a no-brainer on which one took precedence - he had been born, bred, and raised to be a responsible Mibu noble and guardian - but he wanted them both. His pretend son and the people he respected.

His brother was right about one thing, he was doing a lot of running and he didn't know nearly enough about what was going on around him. He should have done more after the fiasco four years past but he hadn't and now he was facing the same hard choice that had been put before him the day he realized that neither Kyo nor Fubuki were the men he thought they were.

Did he dare to depart from the path assigned to him or should he close his eyes, plug his ears, and play pretend again? Be the puppet his brother always accused him of being?

 _"Cowardly Shinrei."_

True to form, he had fled the truth for yet another day but knew the sands in the hourglass were running low and his endurance was waning. He had to make a decision before long and as he silently agonized over the state of his affairs, a memory rose up unbidden of the time he'd paid Muramasa a visit and fought Kyo for the first time.

 ***Flashback***

 _"_ _Tenrou never did enjoy it when his prey eluded him. Had I truly wanted you dead, he wouldn't have let you off with a mere cut."_

 _Muramasa allowed his words to sink in before continuing, "If you so desire, we can go again but I'm not so sure that would be in your best interests."_

 _"_ _How touching the concern of a traitor is," was Shinrei's mocking reply._

 _"_ _Me…a traitor? Why? Because I took the Demon Child and left Mibu lands?"_

 _"_ _Of course that's why. You knew it was prophesied that Kyo would bring nothing but disaster to the Mibu. You, who were one of the Four Elders, should have protected us by killing him and instead we are left with misfortune after misfortune. Not a single child had been born naturally since he appeared and more and more people are succumbing to the death disease."_

 _"_ _And did it ever occur to you that perhaps I kept Kyo alive to keep the Mibu from disappearing altogether?"_

 _Shinrei let out a bitter laugh and stepped back from Tenrou's edge._

 _"_ _If Kyo is some sort of savior then why hasn't he done anything to help us? What could a monster like him with those evil red eyes possibly do except destroy everything we have ever worked for?"_

 _"_ _Let me answer your question with one of my own. How could Kyo possibly have brought as much misfortune as you claim? The Mibu have always had a hard time reproducing and the death disease existed long before he was born. Do you really think anything would be gained by killing him now?"_

 _"_ _It would certainly make me feel better," was the reply._

 _"_ _Putting aside your childishness, I want you to take a moment to ponder why it is that someone as radically different as Kyo appeared among the Mibu in the first place. The clan has needed to change for centuries and I believe Kyo to be the catalyst for that change."_

 _"_ _Now you're speaking utter nonsense."_

 _"_ _Am I? I sense that you are an honorable man Shinrei and I can't fault you for wanting to protect your family but the next time you see Fubuki and the rest, I want you to ask them what it is you are really fighting for. I tell you this, the fight goes far beyond such petty concerns as Kyo being some sort of harbinger of doom."_

 ***End Flashback***

Shinrei paused.

Why had he remembered that conversation? Yes, he felt guilt over what hat followed but why was he considering Muramasa's traitorous words? Was it because the Four Elders had once told him they wanted Kyo dead but now were content to keep him around? If he was such a danger, why hadn't they eliminated him? For the first time, he wondered if there really _was_ more to what the former Elder had told him about Ryu's father being a catalyst for change and saving the Mibu versus destroying it as he had been told. One thing was for sure, the Taishirou weren't getting the job done and he was done with being kept in the dark.

The child tugged at his hand, no doubt trying to figure out why he'd stopped, and he continued walking as he said, "Forgive me, I was lost in thought for a moment."

Ryu's gaze was questioning but he said nothing and Shinrei was grateful for that because a plan was starting to take shape in his mind and he wasn't ready to utter it yet. If he went through with it, there would be no going back because what he was considering was nothing short of rebellion.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What a curious experience," Muramasa said once they were finished telling their tale and Yuya nodded in agreement.

"Do you know who the man claiming to be Aiko's grandfather could possibly be?" she asked, hoping he might have some insight.

"He sounds like a very ancient member of the clan," the former Elder said with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Very ancient?" she repeated, confused as to how old much older the man could possibly be since Muramasa himself had a few millennia under his belt.

"Yes, the Mibu clan has been around for quite some time. Even Shihoudou, the woman who escorted you out of their territory, wasn't around in the beginning and she was very old when myself and Fubuki were nothing but children."

Yuya couldn't wrap her head around people who could live that long and so she laid the mystery man's age to rest and asked, "So why did he look so different from regular Mibu clan members and why were his eyes red too?"

"That's easy enough to answer. Even though I wasn't around at the time, I do know that the older Mibu were a lot closer to their monstrous roots. We might look human now but it wasn't always so and Kyo is a lot closer to them than any of us, which is why he seems like such a wild beast sometimes. That's not _all_ just part of his personality, some mannerisms came into the world with him. As for the red eyes, in theory, all clan members carry the trait but they have been mostly bred out, though I'm not entirely sure why. Besides Kyo, only the king has those eyes and they are considered sacred in the clan."

Naturally that led the bounty huntress to wonder why Kyo was such a pariah if his eyes were so prized but when she put it to her father-in-law, he shrugged and said, "Kyo is Kyo."

It was a non-answer and she didn't care enough to pursue it when there were more interesting subjects like what was going on with her daughter and so, changing gears, she beckoned Aiko over. Seating the girl on her lap, she asked, "Let's shelve the matter of Aiko's secret grandfather for now and talk about her abilities. Akari-San told me what happened yesterday and we were waiting until we were all together and Ai-Chan was awake to talk about it."

Muramasa nodded and said, "Yes, I found it strange as well."

Looking at his granddaughter, he asked kindly, "Do you see anything now, Ai-Chan?"

Yuya watched with interest as her child's blonde head turned from one side of the room to the other, stopping on each of the adults briefly before tilting her head back so that she could look up at her mother and shaking her head in the negative.

"She doesn't seem to have control of it yet. It might be that at this stage she can only pick up on powerful emotions," Akari said.

"Hmm," the young woman pursed her lips and decided to test that theory.

She concentrated on a pleasant memory of her husband when he was being affectionate in his own way, such as when he first came back from training with Muramasa and forced her to lay down because he was concerned for her health. He might have teased and bossed her around but she remembered how it felt when he allowed her to hug him because she missed him so much and gently returned her embrace before kissing her on her forehead.

Aiko let out a little "Ah" and her face broke into a smile as she exclaimed, "You're thinking about Tou-Chan!"

Shooting a look over at Muramasa who was smiling as well, having seen her memory, she blushed a bit and asked, "How do you know?"

"You have a mask again, Kaa-Chan. It's pink and has a big smile," she replied, drawing her hands up the sides of her face to mimic an impossibly wide mouth curled into a pleased expression.

"So you _know_ I'm happy right now. But how did you know I was thinking of your Tou-Chan?"

"Because you smile a lot when you talk about him."

Kyoshiro chuckled and Akari gave a little sniff but Yuya nodded in response and said, "You are absolutely right. And I think Akari-San is correct in saying that you can only see strong emotions right now. Now, let's see if you can pick out another one."

So saying, she pulled up a memory that was much more painful. That of finding out she was pregnant after her life had been cut down to a matter of hours and watching as Kyo put his life on the line to get them through the Hell Gate.

Aiko's face fell almost immediately and her lips trembled as she said, "Please don't cry, Kaa-Chan."

Yuya gave her a hug and said, "It's alright. I was just pulling up a very sad memory. Did you see a mask like before?"

He daughter nodded and clung to her as she replied, "Uh huh."

Looking at the priestess once more, the young woman said, "I think we can confirm that Ai-Chan is a special girl. Is there anything we should worry about? Can she learn how to control her ability?"

Akari - who was staring at mother and child with a look that fell somewhere between disbelief and envy - blinked. Realizing that Yuya had asked her a question, she said, "I'm still trying to get over how well you are taking all of this. Most people freak out when they find out that their kids have powers."

"Well, I'm not most people," the bounty huntress said with a grin, "I'm married to one of the most dangerous men alive and let's not forget that he isn't human and neither is his family. Considering all of the weird stuff I've been through and the incredible people I've met along the way, I've pretty much used up all of my fear of the unknown. I never believed for one second that any child I had by Kyo would qualify as normal and, at this point, it would be weird to act like this is some sort terrifying revelation."

"I guess that makes sense," the shaman said, giving her an odd look before saying, "Well, I suppose I _should_ answer your questions. Ai-Chan is an empath. Don't ask me why she became one because each shaman develops powers in different ways. The good thing about empaths is that they aren't going to be tearing things apart with their mind or raising the dead to do their bidding like some do, _but_...she _is_ going to have to stay away from large groups of people until she gets a bit more control."

"Her powers are going to continue to grow and being around a lot of people is going to be doubly stressful. The emotional noise alone is likely to drive her a little crazy if she doesn't learn how to filter her power to see and feel only when and what she wants. If she's anything like other empaths, she'll also gain the ability to project her emotions."

"That doesn't sound bad," Kyoshiro said.

"In theory it doesn't but you'd be surprised at what can be accomplished by someone who has the ability to make you feel whatever they want. I once knew an empath who killed half a town by projecting enough fear to stop the hearts of the people around her."

The former assassin had the presence of mind to look embarrassed at his ignorance and gingerly scratched at his cheek with a mild, "Oh."

"Exactly," Akari said before continuing, "Anyways, the point I'm getting to is that Ai-Chan needs to learn how to control her power to avoid being a danger to herself and others. I would also like to see if there is more to her connection with her brother. It sounds like she might have forged a bond to him from the womb. That's a pretty powerful indicator that you might have all sorts of fun," it was said with a hint of sarcasm, "in store for you later."

"I agree," Yuya said eagerly. She was dying to know more about what her child could do since she was insanely curious about the whole thing and because she would accept anything that would allow her to find out more about her little boy.

"So what's the best way to train her?" Kyoshiro asked.

"Most shamans will seek training in any of the spiritual arts. Some become priests, mikos, onmyouji and the like. They are all occupations that would help her to control her own emotions and, by extension, her power. If you want to strengthen her abilities as well, then an artistic pursuit such as music, art, or dancing would be very useful since these are things that are designed to evoke emotions. The same empath who killed the townsfolk was eventually able to control her abilities through song."

"You really know a lot about this, Akari-San," Yuya said once she was finished speaking, immensely grateful for her insight, "How did you manage to find out so much?"

It was an innocent enough question but the wrong thing to ask because the walls immediately came up again and the camaraderie of the past few minutes dissipated. The priestess' nose went up in the air, and Yuya flinched as she said archly, " _That_ is confidential information."

Since the young woman didn't feel like pricking herself on Akari's thorns again after feeling as if they'd finally made some progress, she turned to her father-in-law and asked, "Do you think you might be able to help Aiko? I don't want to send her away and, even if you aren't a priest per se, I know you had to have incredible control to master Satori."

Muramasa considered her words for second before saying, "It isn't the same but it certainly can't hurt. Whatever you decide, I believe it'll be a good way to keep her mind occupied in your absence."

"Do you hear that Ai-Chan?" Yuya said, "Jii-San is going to teach you how to use your ability. You might even be able to contact Ryu-Chan again."

Aiko nodded and beamed at the mention of her brother and they then turned the discussion to when they would leave for Edo.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyo knew someone had been in his room the moment he opened his door and caught a whiff of a strange scent. Red eyes slitted in annoyance because he hated the thought of anyone violating the sanctity of his living space. Grumbling internally at the audacity of the intruder, he entered and closed the door behind him as he took a deep breath, inhaling more of the smell for examination. His eyes immediately fell on the sword lying in the middle of his bed and he stared at it suspiciously as he analyzed the olfactory signature of the person who dared to come in his room without permission.

Whoever it was, it had been a male. There wasn't much else he could tell other than that it wasn't too far off from his own scent. He found that bit of info a little strange but since he couldn't tell anything else, he let it be and opted to investigate the long sword lying on his covers instead.

Padding over to his bed, he stared at the weapon, mentally measuring it against the shorter sword in his hand. There was a low hum emanating from the blade and he felt a pull at his consciousness, as if the weapon were greeting him. He didn't even think twice about dropping the sword he usually sparred with and reaching out with his right hand to touch the scabbard of the new one.

The moment his fingertips came in contact with the sheath, he felt a tingle run up his arm and in the back of his mind he heard a distant howl as a wave of bloodlust slammed into him, clawing at him to get inside and take over. Time slowed to a crawl as a red haze fell over his vision and he felt as if he were being pulled out of his own body as the arm holding the sword rose of its own volition and his left hand was used to pull the scabbard off. The howl sounded again and there was a note of triumph in it that immediately raised his hackles and caused him to narrow his concentration to a fine point.

Possessed blade or not, who did this weapon think he was?! He was Demon Eyes Kyo and _no one_ ruled him!

With the stubbornness of a man who _always_ bucked against any restraints placed on him, he shook off the controls being wrapped around his being and mentally ordered the sword to "piss off."

For a split second, white, inhuman eyes set into black sockets shimmered in his head and then they were gone and control of his body was restored to him. Kyo smirked at having overcome whatever spirit was dwelling in the blade. He wasn't surprised by it's existence since Muramasa had once told him about forging living weapons. As he examined the weapon once more - this time without threat of being taken over - he knew the blade was analyzing him as well. It vibrated in his hand, radiating power and malice, and yet there was something almost welcoming about it, like a familiar friend instead of a conquering enemy.

Dropping the scabbard back onto the bed, he held the sword out, testing it's weight and swinging it a few times. For such an unusually long blade, its balance was superb and a smile touched his lips because he was certain it had been made just for him. Holding the back edge parallel to his torso, he was struck by a feeling of familiarity, as if he had held the sword in that exact position once before and his body automatically reacted, bringing his free hand up to touch the flat of the blade gently.

Closing his eyes, Kyo concentrated and in his mind's eye saw a distant beacon of light that beckoned to him. His entire being hummed and the space between his top and bottom molars vibrated with a power so thick he felt as if he could sink his teeth into it, swallow it down and indulge himself in it to the point of intoxication. He ran his fingers along the weapon with a lover's caress and the power that followed in their wake was darn near erotic. The weapon sang to him with a siren's song that was entwined with such danger and allure that he didn't know where the seduction ended and the peril began and he felt as if it would speak to him if only he would listen.

Breathing in deeply of the potent smell of ki in its purest form, he automatically moved his hand and listened as the song became louder and the air around him grew charged. He _knew_ that he was doing something incredibly foolish by manipulating so much energy in the confined space of his room – even if it was big enough to fit a small house – but he didn't care. The warrior hadn't wielded such concentrated power in years and everything he was - from his skin, through his muscles, down to his bones and in his heart - echoed with the knowledge that this was not a new feeling, that he'd gone through this before.

He wanted to fight something or someone. Not the monotonous sparring matches he had day in and day out - he'd had more than his fill of that. No, he wanted a real battle where his life was on the line and he felt alive – like a warrior and not a pet who was being fed the necessities and given a pat on the head for good behavior. Touching tongue to fang, Kyo tasted blood and sighed in pleasure as it brought to mind the fights of days past – blood, sweat, and adrenaline pumping a heady rhythm through his veins. He opened his eyes to see that his fingers were almost at the tip of his blade and the metal was shining brightly while the power undulated beneath his hand like an animal arching up to receive a stroke from its master.

His lips pulled back in an expression that was more like the baring of fangs than a true smile and just as he was about to step off the precipice of safety - moving from holding the power in check to setting it free at last – he saw something that stopped him cold.

One second he was glorying in the ki that was dangerously close to controlling him rather than the reverse and in the next he saw them – two bright green eyes staring at him with an expression he couldn't name but one, nonetheless, that filled him with such sorrow that he doubled over as if he'd been struck in the gut.

His tenuous control over the power shattered and he swore as it expanded briefly into the room before pausing and collapsing in on itself as the sword in his hand absorbed it, feasting on his ki and pulsing briefly when it was done to inform him that it was pleased with his contribution. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he laid the sword back down on the bed and scrubbed a hand over his face as he let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't enough to give him a break from what he'd seen.

As if they had been tattooed onto the backs of his lids, closing his eyes resulted in seeing emerald irises that stared back at him from the darkness of his mind and with them came intense feelings that he didn't understand. Longing. Sorrow. Pain. Regret. Desire.

That last one was mind-boggling because how could he want _anyone_ who could tear his stoicism to pieces with the mere memory of their gaze?

Kyo had become so used to feeling nothing, save frustration, that he didn't know what to do with the emotions bombarding him and he wearily picked up the discarded scabbard and re-sheathed the sword before sitting down on the bed and running a hand through his hair.

Unfortunately, even a mundane action like that was enough to trigger a memory that was so life-like that he could have sworn he felt it for real as a soft pair of female hands stroked his hair before running a comb through it, all the while humming a tune that he found relaxing. Without thought, he turned his head slightly to ask the woman what the song was and paused when he realized that no one was there.

Loss.

Loss, so sharp and painful that it was like a physical blow to his gut, rocked through him and choked off the expletives that normally would have followed such an intense emotional outburst.

It was a lot like the feelings that rose up when he contemplated Muramasa's death. But it was magnified tenfold as if it had just been lying in wait for a while, biding its time until it could pounce on him when he least expected it. He had never cried in his life and was not about to start now but he felt as if he were drowning in a sea of uncontrolled grief and he slowly laid back on his covers, closing his eyes and feeling his throat growing tight at the sight of those green eyes looking back at him.

In his head, they subtly changed shape, crinkling a bit at the corners like their owner was smiling at him and, so quietly that he had to strain to hear it, he heard a female voice whisper in his mind, "I love you, Kyo."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yay, I finally get to torment Kyo with more detailed memories of his life before Fubuki ruined it. And yes, he's going to want to seek Yuya out. And yes, I can get people off their butt and get the plot moving more and more and _more_ until it turns into an avalanche, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Ahem, I know it seems like I'm having Shinrei agonize a lot but getting him to the point where he'd be willing to essentially betray his superiors – since in his head the Taishirou and the king _are_ the clan - is a herculean task and I need him to be resolved to do what's best for Ryu and the people who are dying in the clan. He's vital for getting Kyo stronger, away from the Mibu, and on his way to Edo.

This is actually a pretty important chapter too because, aside from Kyo remembering stuff, Shinrei's offer to train Ryu is a big deal for someone else as well. ;-)


	11. Hard Choices and Strange Secrets Part 1

**Thanks to: abattles2** (Aww, it feels great to be loved. Super glad you enjoyed the chapter and that it wasn't so slow it made you pull your hair out. Thanks for helping me to catch that typo, really appreciate it.), **Rinfantasy** (I can't wait to get the whole family back together), **Deby MU** (Kyo had to get his turn to suffer. :P Shirei does have it rough but he'll eventually do what's right. I am desperate for Ryu to meet Kyo as well but it doesn't make sense at this time. Kyo would be totally be weirded out by having a kid he doesn't remember. When explaining Kyo's current personality, I meant that he's rougher than he was at the end of MNM but he has sweet dreams of Yuya and four years worth of sexual frustration to make getting them back together easier. He's a jerk but one who is still attracted to Yuya, I didn't send him completely back to square one.), **kyoandyuya** (If I could, I'd write about Kyo all the time because he's just that awesome and I love him and Yuya that much. I'm right there fangirl squealing with you. XD Alas, I have a plot that interferes but I get to write more of him from here on out so, YAY! And yeah, the True Mibu were "demons" according to the original king, with a lust for destruction which is what destroyed them and produced the battle dolls AKA the current crop of Mibu clan members excluding Kyo), **magicalnana** (I hope so. I hate having to write so much build up when all I want to do is throw Kyo and Yuya together again), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Lol, thanks! As for how to get Kyo out, you'll see.), **lmamc**

 **Author's Note:** Lot's of Kyo in this chapter and a little lime. There's implied sex if you squint.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Ten**

 **Hard Choices and Strange Secrets**

 **Part One**

 _There had never been anyone like her._

 _Soft skin. Breathy moans. Sweet mouth. Nails digging into his back hard enough to break the skin._

 _He was sure she was the closest a demon like him would ever get to heaven. No other woman made him feel the way she did and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her thighs as she cradled his hips with her own._

 _There were so many little details about her that he found arousing. Like the way she hooked her leg around his, perfectly notching the tiny curve to the rear of her ankle with the long, corded muscles on the back of his calf. He could feel her sliding it up and down in time with his movements and let out one of his rare groans of pleasure._

 _No matter how minute or how brief, he enjoyed it – craved it - whenever she touched him. Other women were drawn to him because he was wild, dangerous and there was a certain amount of eroticism in having hands so stained with blood on their skin - as if the mere fact of having a legendary killer in their beds was some sort of aphrodisiac._

 _But this woman, his woman, was different. She - so kind, so gentle, and so pure - wanted him for him. He could see it in that alluring emerald gaze whenever she looked at him. Could hear it in the back of her throat whenever she spoke or moaned his name. Could feel her carving it into his flesh with those fingers that dug deep, holding onto him in order to weather the storm of their passion._

 _Oh how she loved him._

 _She gifted him with unrestricted access to her skin, her body, her very being with his bloodied hands and never asked for anything he wasn't willing to give. If the violence that clung to him was seductive to other women, then her trust in him was what seduced him. And he rewarded her in the best way he knew how, with his fingers, his lips, his tongue, with everything he had. She gave him peace and absolution and he lent her his strength and made her scream in pleasure._

 _After an eternity of just feeling and listening to her, he opened his eyes so that he could watch her face as she reached her peak. His name was on the tip of her tongue and he brought a hand up to glide his fingers across her hair. Lifting a few stands to stroke them along his lips, he thought about how much he loved her locks - long, silky and gleaming, like sunshine made tangible._

 _He couldn't stop a surge of possessiveness as she gripped his arm and bowed her back, biting her lip before crying out, "Kyo!"_

 _The woman tensed, extracting his enjoyment along with hers, and he felt her nails draw blood before she relaxed after a long moment and – as the strength ran out of her limbs – sighed in satisfaction. Only he would ever see her like this, he'd kill any man who thought to touch what was his._

 _He bent down slowly and pressed his lips to her vulnerable throat before biting gently, pinning the pulse beating there with his sharp canines. She made no move to push him away and he lapped at her skin both because he liked her taste and just because he could._

 _Such wonderful, wonderful trust she had in him. She was both his greatest strength and his biggest weakness and to lose her would break him._

 _His beautiful golden girl._

Kyo woke up from yet another dream about his mystery woman to a feeling of wrongness. Not with her and their activities but with his life in general. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up and looked around his room, studying it with a jaded gaze and finding it oppressive. Actually, every day he spent in the Mibu was burdensome, weighing on him until he felt as if he were suffocating. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, breathing deeply as he tried to gather his thoughts.

She had green eyes – the same ones he saw in his mind two days prior after wielding that strange sword - and golden hair. No imaginary woman could possibly have evoked such powerful feelings from him. Being the fleshly creature that he was, the Thousand Killer was not given to maudlin fantasies of emotional fulfillment. He dreamed of sex and battle, not that insubstantial place in between where the softer feelings like love and happiness dwelled.

 _"But you loved me,"_ a soft voice said and he opened his eyes, inclining his head to his right and staring at the empty space next to him.

There, between one blink and the next, he was transported from his room in the castle to another time and another place. It wasn't real of course, a mere figment born of memories he couldn't quite grasp, but he knew the location – Muramasa's tiny guest house. He hadn't been in it for a number of years but the scene he saw was in the late afternoon. The sun was shining through the windows, bathing everything in a golden glow and highlighting the figure that held him transfixed.

Long, shapely legs were pulled up to her chest and she was looking back at him with those green eyes. Her face was partially obscured where she had buried it in the thin arms folded over her knees but he knew she was smiling at him. She was nude and the blonde hair decorating her head was in disarray indicating that they had made love shortly before. It might have been echoes of his dream but his fingers itched to comb themselves through those sun-kissed strands again, to feel their softness and use them to pull her close for a kiss.

He knew that she loved his mouth and he was addicted to the way she melted into him when their lips met.

The woman didn't move but he heard her voice again, supplying narrative to a moment suspended in time.

 _"Do you miss me Kyo?"_

He wasn't quite crazy enough to respond to a product of his imagination but he told himself that he could hardly miss someone he didn't know.

 _"I miss you. You are my other half, after all. Even if you don't remember me, I_ _ **know**_ _you have to realize that we are incomplete without each other."_

Kyo scowled. What nonsense. He had never needed anyone in his life. Yes, he was restless and dissatisfied but he certainly didn't believe in making a fool of himself over a female, unknown or not. She was acting like he was her husband or something.

 _"Knowing you, you'll just say I'm full of it,"_ her voice was laced with amusement and he winced at how spot on her assumption was.

 _"Anyways, you can't just sit around and wait for something to happen. You need to leave."_

It was insane but he actually spoke to her and asked suspiciously, "Why? And who are you?"

 _"Ask your sword if you want the whys and hows. As for me, well, I'm just a figment of your imagination, remember. It's what Muramasa's weapons do, you know. They absorb their wielder's memories and abilities and use them to draw out the best performance."_

"So you're just an illusion created by a possessed sword. Not someone real."

 _"Well...I wouldn't say that. Tenrou – which is the name of your blade by the way – can only work with what you give him and you were already dreaming of me more than two days ago. So you have to ask yourself: Why is it me you're seeing? What_ _ **am I**_ _to you?"_

Kyo wasn't sure how to reply to that and he heard a gentle laugh before the woman winked and then he was in his room at the castle again and standing in the middle of his room with the odd sword in his hand. He didn't remember leaving his bed or picking up the blade and he frowned, disliking the thought of his own weapon controlling his actions.

The sense of loss that had returned once the woman was gone wasn't helping either. Why was he so attached to a vision?

His contrary nature nudged at him, urging him to toss the weapon through the window for tinkering with his thoughts and emotions but just thinking about it gave him an unsettling feeling. And the sword – Tenrou, according to the woman – hummed, reminding him of what he'd been able to do with it the day before. Sush a dirty trick, teasing him with the power it coaxed forth from him after lying dormant inside his body for so long. It was if it had reached deep down to his very core and nurtured the secret longing he had to seek out a greater challenge, to become the best.

He took a deep breath and walked back over to the bed, laying the sword down and grabbing his clothes. After getting dressed, he paused for a moment and picked the weapon back up. Kyo had a feeling that he wasn't supposed to have it since it had simply appeared out of nowhere by the hands of someone unknown but he didn't like the thought of leaving it behind. There were too many questions that needed answers and, since the most obvious one was about the mystery woman, he opted to pay a visit to the one person who had hinted about her identity in the first place.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shinrei paced back and forth in front of the door leading to Hishigi's lab and tried not to worry. There had been so much that had happened already and it wasn't even noon yet.

Things had begun simply enough.

 _It was the second morning he had dedicated to training Ryu in the basics of the_ _Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu school. Shortly after their session, a messenger arrived from Hishigi requesting that he bring Ryu to the lab for more tests. His charge had looked up at him with worried eyes. It was rare for the Elder to require his presence so after collecting more samples and he was still shaken from his actions a couple days ago although Ruru had forgiven him after he apologized._

 _He had reassured the boy, as usual, that he would be with him, only to find himself barred from the lab on arrival. One of the Taishirou's assistants had grabbed the child's arm harder than he liked when the he protested, causing Ryu to whimper in pain, and his reaction had been instinctual. The offender found himself swallowing against the cold edge of a curved blade as Shinrei told him in no uncertain terms to take his hands off of the boy before he removed them._

 _Since it was well known that Shinrei always did as he said, the man took his promise to heart and let go of Ryu's arm, backing away with his hands up in a placating gesture._

 _"I was only following orders," the assistant said as Ryu hugged himself to his master's leg._

 _The young man was on the verge of telling him exactly what he could do with those orders when Hishigi's cool voice interrupted them and said, "You are far too attached Shinrei. My assistant was doing as told."_

 _Realizing that he was showing more emotion than was wise, Shinrei stopped what he was doing and bowed to the Elder, murmuring his apologies and saying, "Ryu is still a child, Hishigi-Sama. He has never undergone testing without me and I did not want him to give you a hard time."_

 _It was a half-truth. Yes, Ryu had always had him there to serve as a comfort when Hishigi took him to his lab but he honestly didn't trust Hishigi. The man was too detached and hard to read and Shinrei couldn't stomach the thought of him alone with his child. To him the boy was a precious hope but he knew full well that he was nothing more than an experiment to his superior._

 _As Shinrei stared into those dull, unfathomable eyes, he felt the first stirrings of fear. Though his expression didn't change, he knew the other man was picking him apart, pinpointing his weaknesses and filing them away for later use._

 _Slowly, the older man raised a gloved hand and, holding it palm up in invitation, he said, "Come here, Ryu."_

 _It was a test. Would Shinrei do as ordered like a good soldier and demonstrate his loyalty or would he disobey a direct order to hand his boy over? Ryu was gripping his leg tightly and he could feel his hand trembling. He knew that to refuse would be mutiny but, at the same time, Ryu trusted and depended on him._

 _In a moment he was transported to another time and another place when he was standing before Fubuki with an upset child in his arms. He'd watched that little face on his way back to the Mibu lands and surreptitiously run a curious finger over those tiny fingers. So very fresh and new. So very frail. The weight of responsibility settled across his shoulders and emotion welled up because he held a new life and a new hope and he didn't want to let it go._

 _Strength. He needed more strength. Strength to say no. Strength to protect. Strength he didn't have just yet._

 _As always, practicality won out and he resented it because he knew what he had to do. Golden eyes moved from the Elder to his ward and he slowly tucked the sword in his hand back into his waistband. Fighting Hishigi would be suicide at this point and Ryu would still be taken for experimentation._

 _He was stuck between a rock and a hard place and - realizing that this was a case where discretion was the better part of valor - he laid a hand on Ryu's head, silently comforting him before saying, "Go with Hishigi-Sama."_

 _"But...," the boy began and Shinrei shook his head, giving him a hard look that brooked no argument and caused the protest to die in his child's throat._

 _Ryu nodded sullenly and slowly moved away from the false safety of his master's leg. He still didn't understand that Shinrei was not powerful enough to fight against the Taishirou. To him, his strong guardian was his hero who could never lose._

 _The water-user watched in silence as the child placed his hand in Hishigi's and brought his eyes up to meet the older man's once more. They both knew that he had hesitated to comply and Shinrei understood that his actions and body-language had been stored away in the recesses of that dark mind._

 _"Will you be long, Hishigi-Sama?" Shinrei asked, forcing his body to relax even though he wanted to tear Ryu's hand away from The Doctor's._

 _"I will be done when I am done. There is no set timeframe for what I plan to accomplish," came the calm reply before he added, "You are overly concerned about your charge, Shinrei. It is in your best interests to fix it."_

 _He had interfered in the plans of his superior and thus he would have to wait an indefinite amount of time to get his valued ward back. It was a very subtle but effective form of punishment and he cursed his lack of patience as the door closed behind Ryu and Hishigi, catching a tiny flash of red as the boy looked back at him once more._

Now, it was two hours later and he was still waiting on pins and needles for Ryu to be returned. He'd already called himself several different kinds of fool for not coming up with a better way of protecting Ryu and his swords were in his hands. His usual method of dealing with stress by practicing katas hadn't helped and he was sorely tempted to eviscerate whoever brought Ryu out just for putting their hands on him. If he couldn't fight Hishigi, one of his underlings would do.

The sound of the door opening at last snapped him out of his dark thoughts and he spun around, taking in the sight presented to him and feeling his heart plummet. Ryu was being held in the arms of one of Hishgi's assistants and he looked horrible. His eyes were closed and his unnaturally pale face was beaded with sweat.

The boy's breathing was shallow as well and when Shinrei strode over to him to take him away from the other man, he opened hazy red eyes and inquired weakly, "Shinrei-Sama?"

The assistant opened his mouth to say something once the Goyosei member put his swords away in order to take Ryu back but the young man gave him a stare that promised him he'd be talking through his throat if he dared to utter a word. The helper promptly pressed his lips back together and Shinrei heard his teeth click,biting back whatever idiocy he was about to utter.

Holding his charge close, he spun on his heel and marched off, intent on finding out what had been done to his boy. Once he was sure the child was safe, he was going to see Taihaku. The plan that had begun to form two days before was starting to solidify and as he listened to the piteous sound of Ryu's labored breathing, he knew he'd do anything to stop Hishigi from getting his hands on him again. In this case, "anything" meant swallowing his pride and relying on the one person he was starting to believe could muster up the power if given the chance – even though it went against his very upbringing.

If Fubuki and the rest could not be trusted to do what was right then he would need someone who _could_ be trusted to pick a fight with them. Someone who would do whatever it took to gain the strength to fight his masters and change the fate of the Mibu. It was time to point Kyo in the right direction.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Taihaku stared at the letter in his hands and marveled at its significance. He knew things were eventually going to have to change but he hadn't thought it would be within days of his conversation with Kyo. Perhaps it was fate and, considering who the letter was from and his earlier meeting with Fubuki, that belief wasn't too far from the mark.

The opening of the door signaled the arrival of a key character in this strange play he found himself orchestrating and he didn't look up as he said, "Welcome, Kyo-San."

The feet padding towards him paused briefly before continuing on until the man was standing in front of him and he lowered the paper to look at his visitor. The head of the Goyosei offered him a smile and he noted the sword in his hand with raised eyebrows.

"Obviously this doesn't come as a surprise to you," Kyo said, raising the sheathed weapon up so that he could get a better look.

"Not really. I've never seen it in person but Demon Eyes Kyo, the legendary Thousand Killer, is known to wield a sword that is five feet long. Hishigi sealed that blade away some years ago. Four to be exact."

"It really belongs to me then?"

"It allows you to carry it with the ease of an old friend, I think that speaks loudly enough as to who its master is."

"Yeah," Kyo said before falling silent and Taihaku could see him going over what he planned to say internally. There was a struggle going on in that ruby gaze as he fought his own introverted tendencies to ask what needed to be asked.

If there was one thing his unnaturally lengthened lifespan and years of servitude to the Mibu had taught him, it was patience and he waited quietly as the Demon Child worked up the nerve to ask him about the woman who's existence they had danced about previously.

Kyo's fingers tightened around the sheath of his blade and Taihaku decided to make things easier on him and open the discussion himself by saying, "Her name is Yuya."

The younger man gave an almost imperceptible start and said harshly, "So you _did_ know what I was asking you the other day."

"There's only one woman with golden hair and green eyes that the Taishirou would model the concubines they send to you after."

"And you aren't alone in keeping her hidden from me. It makes me wonder what else you've been hiding," his tone was annoyed, mistrustful.

"Oh, plenty, Kyo-San," the giant said genially and he could see surprise written all over Kyo's face at how honest he was being.

"For example. I know that Muramasa is still alive," those red eyes widened in surprise, "and I also know that the woman you seek is very important to you."

Kyo laughed in disbelief and replied, "I don't see how. Most females are only good for a quick tumble in bed and occasionally one can give me a decent fight. Whoever this Yuya is, she's no warrior."

"Well, not in the strictest sense of the word, no, but...," and he paused, remembering the contents of the letter and choosing his words wisely because he didn't want to reveal too much. He needed Kyo curious enough to keep chasing his wife but not give him so much information that he went in the opposite direction out of sheer hardheadedness.

"But, what?" Kyo asked suspiciously.

"But, she must have been a very strong person. You aren't an easy man to live with and she loved you a great deal, Kyo-San. Enough that she followed you here even though she knew it was dangerous."

"She sounds like a foolish woman," the younger man said contemptuously, "I can't imagine what I must have seen in her outside of what she has between her legs."

"Oh, and you know what that's like, do you?" Taihaku asked slyly, calling him on his minor slip up. He was young once, he knew what was often on the mind of a man Kyo's age and he also knew Kyo hadn't been with a woman in years.

"I could be dreaming about any woman. One is much like the other," Kyo tried to play off his revealing words.

"Yes, but only one could push you to strengths you probably never dreamed of," the big man said, hiding a smile because that got Kyo's interest immediately. The desire for more power was one of the few things about the man that was predictable.

"What do you mean, Taihaku?" he demanded.

"I can't say for sure because I wasn't there but I do know that Shinrei said he had never seen anything quite like it."

Of course, he was referring to the way Kyo had humbled himself to save his spouse but he would let the man draw his own conclusions. It didn't change his belief that Kyo would be one of the most powerful men in existence if given the chance.

"So Shinrei is in on this as well? What aren't you telling me Taihaku?" the Thousand Killer asked, narrowing his eyes.

"There isn't much for me to tell you, Kyo-San. With the exception of helping your wi..woman," he groaned inside at nearly saying "wife" to Kyo because that would scare him off, "to escape, I was never personally involved with the events of yesteryear. Shinrei knows and so do the higher-ups. My superiors specifically wanted you, though I'm not clear on the details save it has something to do with the Mibu Reconstruction Project. They erased a lot of your old memories and gave you false ones to keep you here. I'm not sure what the Taishirou seek from you but they don't want you to grow any stronger which is why we never fight you for real."

"So the life I've been living for the past four years is a lie?" Kyo asked, clenching his hands into painfully tight fists.

Taihaku nodded slowly and gave a start as Kyo started to laugh – long and mirthless with a wealth of pent up frustration and bitterness in the sound. And he allowed the young man his moment. No one liked to find out that they'd been thoroughly fooled and manipulated for years and this made a grand total of eight for Kyo if one counted the first time they erased his memory.

It took a while but Kyo's laughter finally died down and he scrubbed his free hand across his face, leaving a red streak on his cheek because he'd clenched his appendage hard enough to draw blood.

"I should cut you down where you stand for going along with this Taihaku," Kyo said tersely.

"I can't blame you for feeling that way but, if it's any consolation, I never agreed with it which is why, between myself and Shinrei, I fight you the least. I couldn't stomach the thought of playing along with this farce any more than I had to."

"Well, doesn't that just make everything better," Kyo replied sarcastically.

Taihaku sighed and looked into his contemptuous eyes as he said, "Of course it doesn't and I'll fight you seriously this time if that's what you want."

Kyo stared at him a long moment before saying, "Nah, I don't want to fight you. You're just a small fish. I want your masters."

"Then you are going to have to get a lot stronger, Kyo-San. You couldn't handle Fubuki years ago and you are in no position to do it now either. You need to get away from this place."

"And where do you suggest I go? To Muramasa?"

"No, I don't think that would be wise. Edo would be a better choice. I think you should seek out Yuya there."

Kyo made an annoyed sound and asked, "Why should I seek that woman out? I still don't see how she could make me stronger."

"Every man needs someone to fight for," Taihaku said but continued before Kyo could contradict him, "besides, even if you don't go for her, it's an excellent place to get information on strong fighters and there is still another reason to go."

Kyo frowned and inclined his head to show he was listening and the older man said, "No one outside of myself, the Taishirou, and the king know this but the Mibu are planning to launch an assault on humanity soon. I won't ask you to do this for altruistic reasons, nor will I explain why it is so important but it might be a good idea to seek an audience with the Shogun."

The Thousand Killer's eyebrows shot up and he said incredulously, "You sure ask a lot for an old fart."

Ignoring Kyo's rudeness, Taihaku shrugged and said, "What can I say? I like to ask the impossible sometimes."

He could tell that the implication that he couldn't manage to do something as "simple" as meeting the man who ran the country rankled Kyo and hid a grin. The head of the Goyosei was skilled at getting proud men to do his bidding, the clan was full of them and he had years of practice.

The wheels in Kyo's head were turning and, as was becoming the norm when dealing with the difficult man, the large warrior waited until he asked, "So any other requests you have, like stealing the Shogun's gold or taking command of his army?"

"Well, you already killed a fair number of his men so I doubt they'd follow you and you aren't the type who craves riches so that's a 'no' on the gold, as well," Taihaku said drily, "However, if you want to get anywhere with the Shogun and his family," he emphasized the word family, "you should refuse to tell them anything until you see Yuya."

"Yeah, that's a freaking weird request even from a geezer like you," Kyo said smartly, "Just what kind of woman is she to consort with the Shogun and his cronies? She sounds like she's going a pain in the butt."

The older man mentally apologized to Yuya on Kyo's behalf and sent her his condolences, she was going to have her hands full getting him back to his old self because his old "old self" - if that made any sense – was a force unto himself. And too sharp by far because those keen eyes told him clearly that Kyo _knew_ he wasn't telling him everything. The infamous Demon Child always did have razor sharp wit to go with that incredible strength and telling him the truth without being compelled to tell the _whole truth_ was a real challenge.

However, he must have given him enough information to make a choice because Kyo turned and made to leave before pausing and saying, "Whoever gave you such specific instructions about me had better be on the up and up, Taihaku, because if I find out you've screwed me over I'm coming back here and I won't stay my sword a second time. This woman you keep going on about needs to be something fan-freaking-tastic if she's supposed to be worth fighting for."

He turned his head just enough to fix Taihaku with a gaze so intense that the older man momentarily forgot to breathe as the oppressive feeling of Kyo's killing aura filled the room, running across his skin and tightening across his throat. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and he suddenly felt very small – an odd feeling for a man who towered over everyone else - like an insect faced with the grandeur of a mighty wolf...or a king. Head of the Goyosei or not, he was still a samurai through and through and he fought the instinct to kneel as one was supposed to do in the presence of a lord.

 _'Looks like we didn't do as good a job as we thought of keeping him from improving,'_ he thought and, as quickly as it came, Kyo's aura went back to normal and he was striding away once more.

Taihaku licked his dry lips and quickly remembered that there was one more thing he needed to tell Kyo before he left.

"Kyo," he called and the younger man paused.

"You really should talk to Shinrei. He knows more about what happened to you than I do and the both of you have unfinished business."

Kyo slid the door open and said, so quietly he had to strain to hear, "Don't waste your breath old man, I was already planning to see him. The nice thing about this sword of mine is that is helps me to jog all sorts of memories."

With that cryptic remark, he passed through the doorway and closed it behind him with uncharacteristic gentleness, leaving behind a bemused Taihaku.

"Sakuya," he said to himself as looked down at the letter in his hand once more, "I hope you know what you've started."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

More plot and a fight coming up. I know Kyo's being a butt munch but he gets better, I promise, and just because he's being mean right now that doesn't mean he isn't going to feel the heat when he sees his woman again. He talks a fair game but he never could resist our favorite bounty huntress.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and Yuya might be finding out Akari's secret soon enough. It'll be fun, I promise. ;-P


	12. Hard Choices and Strange Secrets Part 2

**Thanks to: lmamc, magicalnan** a (Can't promise to go much faster due to having to give time to real life situations but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I can't wait to get Kyo and Yuya back together), **darkryubaby, Deby MU** (Hope you didn't blush too hard, I'm trying to avoid getting too detailed on the sexy parts because it makes me a bit shy too. I'm super happy you like the way I'm writing Shinrei. He's one of my favorite characters and I like how loyal he tries to be. I can't promise he'll tell Kyo about his son yet because if Kyo can't handle Yuya being his wife, I don't think he'll react well to having a child. Yuya is definitely in for a shock when she finds out Akari is male. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know what you think. It's very encouraging to know that you enjoy the story.), **Rinfantasy** (Like Taihaku, Shinrei knows Yuya pushes Kyo to greater strength. Kyo is in for a big surprise when he meets his wife because she is nothing like the women he's used to.), **kyoandyuya** (Hmm, my money is in Shinrei getting his butt whipped. Plot progression and all that, you know. ;-P),

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Ten**

 **Hard Choices and Strange Secrets**

 **Part Two**

Though his mouth said one thing when he was speaking with Taihaku, Kyo's mind was a completely different matter. When the older man spoke of Shinrei being in on the Mibu's little plot to control his life, Tenrou had oh-so-helpfully supplied an image that made his blood boil and prompted his remark about having his memory jogged.

For all his talk of how useless most women were to him, desperation to meet this Yuya had grabbed ahold of him and refused to let go. He didn't believe himself capable of love, as hinted by the blonde apparition he saw earlier, but he was intrigued by the idea of a woman who was _in love_ with him. He was so used to keeping himself emotionally distant from women and everyone else in general that he _had_ to wonder why he had allowed the woman in his dreams to come with him to the clan. Regardless of how good a chick was in bed, he had never felt the desire to take her traveling with him, believing that the feelings that any woman would inevitably develop for him would be a burden.

However, no matter how much he told himself that he'd find out who the woman was and prove to both of them that she was nothing special, he couldn't shake the longing that had lodged itself into his heart. He wanted her in a way he had a hard time defining and since he couldn't wrap his head around the laughable idea of loving another person, he focused on the parts he did understand, the sensual ones. After four years of forced celibacy, he was ready to find out how she had managed to make such a strong impression on him that he was lusting after her even when he couldn't remember who she was.

Therefore, his current goal, after conversing with Shinrei at the point of his sword, was to head to Edo - bolstered by Taihaku's words and the images Tenrou fed to him of a large city - and find the woman. He'd see for himself what made Yuya so fascinating and, one way or another, find out if his impotence would kick in with her as well. If it did, then he'd move on, but if not, she was going to find herself handling a whole lot of frustrated man because he wasn't letting her slip away without getting a taste of what her dream version offered him.

 _'But, business first and pleasure later,'_ Kyo thought, tightening his grip around Tenrou.

The image given to him by the sword was still dancing in his head and he used the anger it engendered in him to feed his determination to seek Shinrei out. Half-remembered or not, he was positive that what he saw had really happened. In his mind he had a clear picture of Shinrei holding his mysterious woman and kissing her deeply while she struggled against his hold. Her obvious unwillingness was reason enough to get annoyed because, as far as he was concerned, she had already gone from being a random female to _his_. But what fanned the flames of his fury was the taunting look the other man gave him when he was done – something about that supercilious gaze made him want to punch his light out then run him through, no questions asked .

Kyo was positive that he and the water-user had once been bitter enemies and he agreed with the head of the Goyosei – the two of them had major unfinished business. Someone was due for a beat down and he was pissed enough at his whole situation to make sure he didn't leave before showing Shinrei that he was no one to screw with.

As if the heavens were smiling down on him, he caught sight of the silver-haired man himself just then, exiting the door at the end of the corridor which lead deeper into the castle. Perhaps it was the intensity of his rage or maybe his killing aura was less controlled than he thought it was but, with the instinct of a man who was a warrior first and foremost, Shinrei stopped and stared at Kyo, his hands automatically going to the hilts of his swords.

Golden eyes met crimson and the other man said tonelessly, "You know."

Lips curled to reveal sharp fangs in a humorless smile as Kyo replied, "Oh? And what _do_ I know, Shinrei?"

The man's name was said mockingly and he was pleased to see those gloved hands tighten on his weapons. Kyo generally found the other man to be a stiff, boring prig who spent too much time controlling his emotions and being led by others. Oh, Shinrei was well loved by the clan members - Kyo wasn't so far out of the loop that he didn't listen to what was going on around him. They praised his honor, his loyalty, his self-control, and blah, blah, blah but what Kyo saw was a man who always held back. When they sparred, he could see the struggle in Shinrei's eyes to keep things civil, as if the man fought a constant internal battle between hating him and respecting him.

Kyo wanted to tear the stick out of his snobbish butt and rip that control to pieces. The desire had been with him from almost the beginning but he held back because he was playing nice, trying to make a place amongst a people who treated him like trash once upon a time. Only, now he found that the mistreatment had never really stopped and that they'd been playing him for a while. He did _so_ hate it when people tried to take advantage of him.

Still, even though it was bad business to have lost so much time, he felt a trill of excitement that he hadn't had in years. For so long he hadn't been able to test his limits, fight someone worthy, and the discontent he'd been nursing had grown and grown until it was a living thing. His anger at his circumstances was very real and yet - as he looked at Shinrei who was trying so hard not to draw his swords and give him the fight he was asking for - he realized that he felt freer than he ever had since waking up in his bedroom years ago to fake memories of reconciliation and redemption.

He wanted a fight and the other man was going to give it to him one way or the other.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The end had come at last.

Shinrei knew that things were different the moment he stepped into the hallway and saw Kyo watching him with a look that was full of predatory loathing. He hadn't seen it since the day he cursed Kyo's wife and he wondered why it was that, instead of feeling dread, all he felt was excitement and... relief.

For so long he'd struggled to find relief from the knowledge that he had helped to steal Ryu's parents away. For so long he had held back even though he knew that he and Kyo had never finished their last true battle. For so long he had agonized over disobeying his masters and fighting Kyo for real because he knew it would serve as a stepping stone to greater power for the infamous and hated Demon Child.

He knew his duty.

But as he looked at Kyo, debating how he would answer him and thinking over the events of that morning – Ryu's condition and Saisei's prognosis that a massive amount of blood had been extracted from him – he knew what he would do. The young man had been on his way to speak with Taihaku, seeking counsel and guidance but, at the end of the day, was there really a question of what he would do? In his mind, he saw little arms bruised from where Ryu had strained against whatever Hishigi and his assistants used to hold him down and the places where they had withdrawn his blood. He heard the sound of the boy's panting breaths.

Yes, he knew his duty...but when he stared into that ruby gaze, he knew that what he _wanted_ was a fight.

If he couldn't go up against Hishigi and the rest then he would pour out all of the anger, disappointment, and resentment he'd been saving up for years and give Kyo a battle he wouldn't forget. Even though Ryu _did_ factor into it, he'd never lost the desire to put Kyo to the test. The words that came out of his mouth were as much for him as they were for the boy.

Slowly taking his hands off of his swords, he folded them across his chest and finally answered Kyo's question with, "You know that we've been lying to you for the past four years."

"Yeah, that's one of the things."

Glancing at the weapon in Kyo's hand, Shinrei added, "And now you have Tenrou again. Can I assume that your cursed Muramasa blade has been showing you your past?"

The other man's toothy smile was unsettling but his voice was oddly pleasant as he replied, "Correct again. In fact, now that you mention it, I keep seeing this image of you sticking your tongue down the throat of someone who doesn't belong to you. Usually I don't care what a sexless sycophant like you does but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. Any thoughts, Shinrei?"

"My thoughts are that you are the _last_ person who should be calling anyone sexless."

It was a low blow, one that wasn't like him at all, but he knew he scored a hit when those red eyes narrowed. The way he figured though, if they were going to duke it out he saw no point in maintaining the niceties. He wanted Kyo nice and angry so he could have a good fight because it might very well be his last.

"Who knew you had the balls to taunt me?" Kyo said with a smirk, "I thought you had to get permission to pass gas."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me or yourself, Kyo. So why don't I make this easy? You obviously want a fight and I've wanted to finish what we started years ago. You have questions and I have answers. This isn't the time or place because we're bound to get interrupted but, since you are going to be leaving," Kyo gave a start at his accurate deduction of his plans, "let us settle this tonight at the first gate."

"At the gate? And I'm supposed to trust you to show up?" Kyo asked, raising a brow.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because my reasons now are still the same as four years ago and I never got a satisfactory answer. I want to know why Muramasa has so much faith in you."

It was mostly the truth. He also wanted to spend a bit more time with Ryu because he planned to bring him along so that he could hear what he had to tell Kyo and he was sure the boy would want nothing to do with him afterwards, _if_ he survived. It was a painful thought but the child needed to see his father and understand the nature of his master's relationship with him because, sometimes, words just weren't enough.

Kyo gave him a long look and he met that searching gaze with a steady stare, willing Kyo to read his sincerity. After a long minute, Kyo gave a jerky nod and said, "I'll kill you tonight then."

Shinrei returned his nod with a slight bow and replied softly, "We'll see," before walking forward.

As he moved past Kyo, he was hard pressed not to shrink back from the sheer amount of killing intent radiating off of him. Although the other man had the outward appearance of being calm, he harbored no illusions that his opponent was not eager to spill his blood and wreak his vengeance.

The storm he'd been predicting was here and before the day was done, one of them would have lost everything. Unfortunately, in order to accomplish his goals that person was going to have to be him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was sinking by the time Kyo arrived at the gate and he saw that Shinrei was already waiting for him. The dying sunlight added a red tint to his silver hair and gave an almost animalistic glow to his intense golden eyes. His swords were already in his hands, throwing off a crystalline shine that might have been pretty in other circumstances.

The Thousand Killer studied his opponent and allowed a genuine smile to touch the corners of his lips. He still planned to kill Shinrei but he had to give the guy his props for coming to him as promised. There wasn't an ounce of hesitation in the other man for once and he found the first glimmerings of respect blossoming. It took balls to show up for your own death.

"I'm so glad you decided to show," Kyo said, wasting no time as he drew Tenrou and tossed the sheath down on the ground next to him.

Shinrei gave him an answering smile – taking Kyo back a bit because it was the first and only time he'd ever seen the dour young man look happy – and replied calmly, "I wouldn't miss it for anything, Kyo."

Those eyes briefly darted off to the side to stare at the nearby brush as he continued, "This day has been a long time coming and I've been carrying around so much weight that it hampers my movements and keeps me from doing what must be done. I need this just as much as you do."

Kyo wondered briefly why he seemed so intent on the bushes ringing the courtyard in front of the gate. He couldn't sense much out of the ordinary save a very small ki that likely belonged to an animal of some sort.

Shrugging off the idea that Shinrei was expecting company, hesaid, "I don't care about all of that. I just want a good fight."

The other man chuckled before assuming his regular stance of one sword up and the other held before him and saying, "Then at least we in accord in that. Be warned, though, you have never once beaten me, Kyo."

All Shinrei's words did was raise his excitement higher and Kyo slid his tongue briefly over his teeth in anticipation as he replied, "There's a first time for everything."

No more time was wasted as the two men closed in on each other in unison and they began to fight in earnest without build-up. If there was one thing Kyo had gained from their years of sparring, it was an intimate knowledge of the way Shinrei moved and how his technique worked. Of course, knowing was half the battle and he took a few cuts to the ribs before Tenrou vibrated and he started seeing images of his past that kept his ire going, coaxing him to move faster, swing his sword harder, to see Shinrei as his prey rather than just any opponent.

He blocked a swing from one of those wickedly curved swords and dodged back to avoid the follow up blade but earned a wound to his chest and Tenrou punished him by feeding him the image of Shinrei kissing Yuya again.

Gritting his teeth in anger, he screwed his eyes shut, both to avoid the vision and to level the playing field because Shinrei's style relied heavily on his own gift for predicting the movements of his enemy.

Moving forward, he swung Tenrou in a downward arc and mentally "saw" as Shinrei maneuvered to intercept him before he quickly changed the direction of his sword and attacked him from the side, forcing the other man to hop backwards. Opening his eyes again, he smirked as he saw a thin cut in the blue tunic covering his chest and the beginnings of a red stain.

Shinrei's eyes shone as he said, "Don't get too cocky just because you managed to touch me, Kyo."

"Don't tell me how to feel," Kyo replied, "you have no idea how much you and this idiot clan have screwed up my life."

He quickly dodged to the side as the other man closed in and attempted to rake him across the side with his sword before surprising him by spinning the blade in his other hand and ramming him hard enough in the stomach with the hilt to send him sliding backwards a few feet. There was going to be a nasty bruise there later but it was immaterial and Kyo shrugged aside the observation as quickly as it came.

"So you think I don't know anything about you, Kyo?" Shinrei asked and Kyo didn't like the look in his eyes one bit.

Mixed in with the excitement and confidence was an emotion that unsettled him – guilt. It was something that had been wholly foreign to members of the clan for as long as he knew them and, while he wanted answers to his questions, he wasn't keen on the idea of Shinrei opening up to him in any way shape or form.

Unfortunately, the other man apparently planned to do just that because he held his swords up and said, "I still remember her, you know."

There was a note of regret in his voice that gave Kyo momentary pause but he ignored it and closed in, locking his weapon with Shinrei's as he replied, "Who cares?"

"You do. Or at least you did. You cared enough to come here for her sake."

The implication in his words made Kyo uncomfortable and he hopped back, quickly calling up the power he'd held a few days past and swinging his sword, opening his mouth to call out an attack he barely remembered.

"Muzuchi!"

The air shimmered in front of him, swirling around his blade before coalescing into a single point and heading for his opponent. He watched in satisfaction as it neatly bisected Shinrei but growled when the body dissolved into water and he had to side-step a sword that would have taken his head off and it's twin which aimed to amputate his right arm.

"Even without being able to fight seriously these past years, I have to admit that you've gotten better at avoiding my attacks Kyo. Is it because you're starting to remember your woman? That's why you wanted to get stronger the first time."

Spinning around to face his enemy, Kyo swung Tenrou again, changing direction at the last minute to slash him across the ribs. A fine spray of blood followed in his wake and he had just a moment to grin before the other man raised his swords and suddenly yelled out, "Mumyou Saikyou Water Sevensplit Dragon!"

Kyo threw his weapon up quickly to block as Shirei's blades shimmered before releasing a deluge of water that took on the shape of seven dragons that snarled and snapped as they slammed into Kyo's body, pushing him at least ten feet back and tearing into his skin before knocking him on his back.

He hadn't been expecting that and he was stunned for a moment, listening as Shinrei said, "Looks like you still have a hard time countering that technique, Kyo. It's the same attack I used to defeat you the last time and the reason why your woman tried to protect you from me."

As Kyo processed what he was saying, Tenrou supplied him with an image of that woman, Yuya, struggling with Shinrei. There were no words but he could tell she was distressed and he watched as she fought the silver-haired man. She was so weak but fearless at the same time and her boldness made his heart pound.

"I cursed her and gave her only two months to live, Kyo. That's what you saw when I kissed her. I was putting a water wyrm inside of her that would tear her heart to pieces if you couldn't beat me in the allotted time. You were so angry but too weak to do anything about it."

"I still remember how her lips felt," the words were a whisper but he heard the confusion.

Clearly kissing his woman had left a major impression.

It pissed Kyo off.

He grit his teeth and pushed himself up on his elbows, glaring at Shinrei who was looking through him – clearly seeing another scene instead of the present.

His next words were more like a confession than a discussion as he continued, "They were so soft and I thought how infuriating it was that you, the accursed Demon Child, had someone who was willing to die for you. You left the Mibu and moved on, despite our interference, and it was unfair that someone like you had a life and love while the clan was dying off."

"You sound jealous," Kyo said as he stood up, wiping a speck of blood from the corner of his mouth as he brought his sword up once more.

He had to acknowledge Shinrei's abilities, the man was strong and he'd just barely managed to escape being torn to pieces. But if he looked past the pain, he knew that something had clicked inside him and he reached for it cautiously, a power deep inside that was begging for his touch.

"Thinking about it now, I _was_ jealous," the water-user said, assuming his stance again as the water on the ground from his attack began to recede, flowing back into his swords.

Kyo didn't have time to marvel at such incredible control of the elements as Shinrei closed in on him and they went around again. Steel slid against crystallized water as each let go of the years of frustration and forced self-control, exorcizing their pain in the way only warriors could – through blood and battle.

With every ring of blade on blade, Tenrou supplied him with images of the past. He saw himself fighting a number of enemies – a man with dark skin, another who was an albino, a man with a tiger-striped bandana, Shinrei, Keikoku, a strange man with dark glasses and a cheerful smile that made his skin crawl. He went through a plethora of emotions that were both new and familiar at the same time - rage, pain, hatred, sorrow, happiness, and one more that he didn't recognize but which was powerful nonetheless.

Through it all, he saw her. She was always watching him with those bright green eyes. The good, the bad, and the ugly about him, she saw it all but the look in those irises never changed and it brought a curious warmth to life in his chest.

Reaching deep, he touched the fringes of the power he felt inside and channeled it through his blade, calling forth an attack he hadn't used in years and hadn't remembered until a split second before.

"Suzaku!"

Wings the color of brilliant vermillion winked into existence overhead and he felt like laughing as the energy was pulled from his body, feeding the flames of his phoenix until was complete and flying towards his opponent. He saw a moment of panic in those golden eyes and watched in bewilderment when, instead of dodging the bird, Shinrei leaned further into its path, raising his ki to impressive levels and calling forth his dragons once more.

Their size was even larger this time and he swore as the roaring serpents shot up into the air, fanned out and came back down, slamming into his Suzaku and shredding it until nothing was left but feather-shaped cinders. Knowing that he had only a small window before Shinrei recalled the water from his attack, he darted forward and took advantage of the opening provided. Using so much ki required a longer recovery and even if it only took a second or two, it was enough to press the advantage of still being alive.

Gathering a small amount of power, he came in close and slashed forward, sending out a small Mizuchi that forced Shinrei to block again, although it was only partially successful this time because cuts appeared on his arms.

"I don't know what that was supposed to...," the young man began but stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening as his weapons vibrated for a moment before falling into pieces.

"You were saying?" Kyo said in an amused tone and Shinrei scowled, stepping back as he threw one of his hilts to the side and held up the one in his right hand.

Kyo was certain that the fight was just about over but he should have know the other man would find a way to keep annoying him. The other warrior stabbed his left palm with the jagged end of his remaining hilt before throwing that to the side as well. He squeezed the bleeding hand into a fist, forcing more blood out as he pressed his right palm to the side of it's twin appendage. As he pulled his hands apart, a red blade began to take shape and the Thousand Killer realized that he was using his control over water to create a replacement weapon out of his own blood.

Kyo was impressed, he'd never fought anyone as tough as him and the scrap of respect he'd felt towards the man for showing up blossomed into the real deal. Past or present, he'd never had such an intense battle and his blood was singing.

Too bad Shinrei was in his way and as he reached even deeper, seeking the power that lay beyond Suzaku, Tenrou tipped the scales of his wrath with one last image. Like he was watching two plays at once, he saw the other man stab himself in the side and felt him gathering his ki for an enormous attack. The blood streaming onto the ground out of the self-inflicted wound began to bubble ominously. That was the first play. The second was somewhere else, he was certain that it was the last time the two of them had fought, and in his mind he saw Shinrei staring past him with a shocked expression and turned to follow it.

Fubuki was there, holding his woman and he saw her face clearly for the first time. She was young and pretty and he watched as she opened her mouth, screaming in agony while the Taishirou pressed his hand against her chest. From the darkest parts of his memories, he dredged up the sound of her voice as she bowed her back and choked on her own blood. There had been a piercing shriek followed by a sickening gurgle and cloudy eyes that wept bitter, helpless tears while the blood-rouged lips he enjoyed kissing softly mouthed his name.

 _"Kyo."_

His reaction was instantaneous and violent.

The anger that flowed into him was all consuming, immolating him on the bier of tortuous recollections, pain, and heartbreak and forging him anew on a wave of fury and vengeance. In that moment, he didn't care that he wasn't supposed to feel anything for that woman, _his_ Yuya, or that he was losing control. All he knew was that soul consuming sense of loss and that Shinrei was partly responsible.

Perhaps it was an echo of his memories or an illusion brought on by Tenrou but he imagined that he saw her standing with her back to him, there beyond Shinrei and beyond this fight. With startling realism, he saw her long blonde hair waving slightly in the evening breeze and then she turned, showing him those hypnotic emerald eyes and giving him just a hint of a smile.

 _"I love you, Kyo."_

He wrenched the power inside of him loose, letting it fill his body inside while the wind picked up on the outside and he saw that blonde hair flying about wildly as her grin turned into a proud smile because he'd surpassed himself yet again. His own red-black strands were whipping around as he seized control of the wind, funneling it into his body and concentrating it into Tenrou who sang in response.

All of this took place in a matter of seconds and as the blood around Shinrei rose and solidified into dragons, following the movements of his red sword as he began to "dance" to bring them to life, Kyo heard the howl of a wolf followed by the growl of something larger and wilder. Instead of flowing inside of him, he felt the power prowling through his veins and along the edge of his blade.

His opponent raised his sword and yelled what they both knew was his final attack as he brought it down.

"Mumyou Saikyo Hiryu!"

The blood dragons twisted and roared as they rushed towards him and it was if they were moving in slow-motion as he sidestepped them one after the other. He silently counted from one to seven as each dragon slammed into the spot he was supposed to be before dissolving and leaving a furrow in the courtyard where the acid they contained ate away at the stone.

He moved in once the fifth dragon hit the ground, getting closer as he avoided the last two wyrms and forcing Shinrei to step back as he swung his sword, calling on the ki he'd gathered and setting it free at the zenith of his attack as he yelled, "Mumyo Jinpuu Ryuu Ougi, Byatsuko!"

The air rippled and he felt the ki squeezing it's way out from the center of his being and through his pores as the massive form of a tiger took form and leapt towards Shinrei, razor sharp claws outstretched to rend the man in half. He could see the beginnings of fear in that golden gaze as his white tiger's right claw lashed forward, tearing the other man in half like a rag doll.

The two halves immediately dissolved into water and the real Shinrei reappeared behind them, weapon raised as he shouted, "Looks like your Byastuko had failed, Kyo!"

He was about to swing the blood sword when he stopped completely and Kyo moved in, smiling wickedly as he followed the path of his tiger. He and the wind flowed together in unity as he rode the eddies of his own power and watched as his Byakko's left claw held the other man immobile. In less than a second, the other man was being pulled into the center of a vortex in order to be torn apart by the "fangs" of his tiger and he laughed darkly as he raised his sword and completed the technique, drawing his blade up the center of Shinrei's body and leaving a trail of blood in its path.

The fight was over.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I am sooo ready to sleep in a warm bed," Akari said and Yuya silently agreed.

They'd been traveling for a couple of days after deciding to waste no more time. The plan was to get to Edo and wait there for a few weeks while they got their friends together. Tora and Sasuke weren't a problem but they were probably going to have to send away for Bontenmaru, who had traveled to Sendai with Akira.

In the meantime, she planned to heed the counsel given by Aiko's mysterious other grandfather and wait to see if Kyo would really show up, after which they would head back to the Mibu lands by way of Muramasa's place to check on Aiko and the former Elder. She missed her daughter already and was looking forward to seeing how her abilities had developed and if she could connect with her brother again.

So far, they were making good time and having a relatively peaceful trip, although there had been a weird incident where Akio - the son of the headman who lived in the village nearest to Muramasa's house - had taken one look at Akari, turned pale, and scurried away like the hounds of hell were at his heels. Having been on the receiving end of his unwanted flirtations and unsubtle gropes until the threat of castration at gunpoint put a stop to them, she wondered why he seemed so scared of a woman as pretty as Akari. She thought for sure that he would have tried to chat her up instead.

When she asked the priestess about it, the woman laughed haughtily and told her that it took a certain type of man to handle Akari-Sama and breezed ahead without a second thought.

Yuya shrugged it off and continued on as she had been, trying to draw Akari into conversation and controlling herself whenever she felt like snatching the woman bald – which was often. So far, the only thing she knew about other female was that she still wasn't fond of her relationship to Kyo and that she had a penchant for meat buns and rice balls. At least, she thought the shaman liked them since she seemed to buy them at every village although Yuya rarely saw her eat them and she didn't seem inclined to share her snacks with either her or Kyoshiro.

Speaking of which, the former assassin was still mum on why Akari wasn't Kyo's type. Yuya thought for sure that her husband would have slept with the woman at least once but when she brought it up to Kyoshiro at dinner once, he choked on his food and looked at her as if she had sprouted two heads. It was all very peculiar and she was starting to get a bit annoyed – at Akari for being Akari and Kyoshiro for being secretive.

So it was that when they were fortunate enough to come across an inn with a hot spring in the back, the two women leapt at the chance and overrode Kyoshiro's protest that they still had a few hours of daylight.

"A lady can't be stuck wearing days worth of dirt," Yuya told him waspishly and Akari nodded in agreement.

Kyoshiro sighed and said nothing as he followed the women into the establishment. Yuya paid for two rooms, one for herself and Akari and the other for Kyoshiro who blushed and asked if she wasn't sure she wanted to get a third room for the priestess. Even though Akari drove her crazy, Yuya was a practical woman and didn't believe in spending extra money of there was no need.

Since she was tired, she completely missed the mischievous look on the shaman's face as they made their way to the room and settled in. The bounty huntress ordered dinner for the three of them and they all ate together, chatting amongst themselves and laughing as Kyoshiro and Akari traded their favorite stories about Kyo – trying to outdo each other like little kids - for the next few hours. She must have been more tired than she thought because all she did was blink and the next thing she knew, it was the dead of night and she was alone on the floor of her room with the candle burning low.

Sitting up, she yawned and stretched, wondering where Akari was and wrinkling her nose at the scent emanating from her clothes. She hated the gritty feeling of traveling for days without a bath and, glancing around once more, thought that maybe the priestess went to bathe. Since she didn't favor waiting until morning to wash when she felt so dirty, she dug into her traveling bag for her bathing supplies and a clean under kimono and headed off to the baths.

Thankfully, they were well lit with oil lamps and as she stripped down in the room that led to the women's bath and hot spring, she hummed in anticipation of getting clean. Even if Akari was bathing already, she was perfectly content to mind her own business and ignore whatever commentary that was sure to follow once the priestess saw her in the nude. Akari made no secret that she found Yuya's physical attributes lacking and she still remembered the woman comparing her bust to hers. Even though Kyo used to tease her about it too, Yuya knew her breasts had grown a bit as she matured and, while she would never be at Okuni's level, she wasn't a slouch in that department either.

Once she was naked, she wrapped herself with a towel and headed for the door, picking her way cautiously as she drew close to the portal because the floor was wet. Just as she was about to open the door to the baths, it slid to the side quickly and she took a startled step back, causing her foot to go sideways on the slippery floor while her body followed. Her hands shot out, frantically grabbing for whatever was in reach until she caught a handful of the towel the person who had just entered from outside was wearing. It pulled loose in her grasp and she continued her descent until strong hands caught her by the shoulders and hauled her upright, causing her to lose her own towel in the process.

The first thing she noticed was that the person holding her was male because she was staring at a surprisingly muscular chest with two tiny nubs gracing his pectorals. The second thing she noticed was that the person was wearing a very familiar black glove on his left hand. And the third thing she realized was that the strange man had come out of the women's bath. Quickly putting two and two together, her head snapped up and she stared into a gorgeous face framed with pink strands, that sported two bright violet eyes and a well-formed mouth.

Those shapely lips curled into a downright boyish grin and their owner sighed and said mockingly, "You're clumsy too, Yuya. It's yet another thing that makes me wonder why Kyo picked you. Although...," he held her away from him slightly to give her body an appraising look before continuing, "I have to take back what I said, those are actually decent breasts."

The laughter in his voice was enough to bring Yuya out of her shock and she realized that she was buck naked in front of a man who wasn't Kyo. On the heels of that embarrassing thought was the recollection that the man holding her had spent the past few days picking at her constantly and making her life miserable. A sensible person would have taken heed of the storm brewing in those green eyes but her tormentor had underestimated her ferocity yet again and was too caught up in teasing her to notice.

Therefore, Yuya scored a direct hit when she brought her knee up with merciless force and nailed Akari right in _his_ family jewels.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ah, that was fun. Sorry if it seemed I just added that last bit on but I needed some humor after having to be so serious for most of the past few chapters. I'm probably going to have to reread this chapter a few times for editing purposes but I hope you enjoyed it and, as always, please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading folks.

P.S. Shinrei isn't dead, just in case you were wondering.


	13. Silent Watcher and Naughty Boys

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (C'mon, Akari had it coming for being such a brat to Yuya. ;-P Ryu's thoughts are below), **Deby MU** (Don't worry about writing such a long review. To me it just shows that you are really enjoying the story and that's always a good thing. :-) To cover your comments, I won't say Shinrei is in love with Yuya – although I did consider him having a one-sided crush on her but dropped it in favor for a different plot-line to avoid excess drama – but he does realize that she is a good woman. He's a very lonely man who really cares for his family and it burns him up to see Kyo – who he was raised to hate – having the life he'd like. Also, yes, Ryu was there. More on that below. I'm still happy you are enjoying the fic and the emotions I try to convey. I don't want this fic to be either too depressing or too silly. Thank you so much), **kyoandyuya** (Of course Hotaru and Akari will have their moments, Hotaru just doesn't play along with anyone and gender bending doesn't fit into his brain, lol. No lemon in this fic but they'll still have their intimate moments), **midori318** (I have some other plot points to write about but I hope to have them meet up sometime within the next three to five chapters. I talk too darn much! _ Glad you enjoyed the fight though.), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Akari deserved it but I still love him. Happy the fight turned out alright and yes, Ryu was watching. More on that below.), **magicalnana** (Kyoshiro knows Akari is guy but shied away from telling Yuya because Akari punched him in the stomach last time to keep him from spilling the beans. It's also why he asked Yuya if she would get Akari a separate room.), **lmamc, general zargon** (Glad you enjoyed the fight and the humor. Poor Akari, but he did deserve it just a bit.), **abattles2** (Lol, look out, Yuya! Your man is coming for you. ;-P And even though Akari earned a swift kick to the balls for being so mean to Yuya, I still love him. 3)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 **Silent Watcher and Naughty Boys**

Sometimes, when a person got what they wanted, they found confusion instead of happiness. Questions rather than answers.

Ryu didn't know what to think of the battle he'd witnessed.

Most of his day was spent resting and being tended to by Saisei who, thankfully, hadn't been called upon by her mistress. When there was no one to torment, Saishi generally left her servant to her own devices and Ryu was thankful that the quiet woman was disinclined to ask questions. He really didn't want to talk about what had happened in Hishigi's lab, not that he was conscious for most of it.

All the boy remembered was being poked and prodded with needles, having something injected into him that made him feel as if his body were on fire and making him yell and fight until they had to strap him down. And then the scary "Doctor" was leaning over him, talking about collecting enough samples to bolster the army numbers for a while in that cold voice as his consciousness began to fade. The next thing he knew, one of the assistants was handing him over to his master and he was being taken to Saisei to be looked at.

Shinrei had hovered over her as she treated him for the next hour, concern written all over his face along with an expression that bothered Ryu. The boy was so used to his master being confident and in charge at all times that he didn't know what to make of the resignation on his face. Even half-conscious, he could tell that the older man was bothered by something and his golden eyes had a sad look about them.

Whatever it was, he didn't have time to dwell on it because his caretaker left and Saisei began to treat him. The Mibu had a number of techniques to accelerate blood production to a level far beyond what was normal and he fell asleep soon after she went to work, waking up a long while later to the feel of Shinrei lifting him into his arms. He felt a lot better by then but he was still weak and only half attentive to what the man was asking him until he mentioned his father.

His master told him that he was taking him to the first gate - which was just after the village and way beyond the areas he was generally allowed to visit – and that he would finally get to see his father. Since Ryu had never been any further than the courtyard in front of the castle, he was ecstatic about going someplace new but apprehensive about seeing the man he'd wanted to know about for so long.

Naturally, that also brought up the question of why he was being taken to see him _now_ after being separated from him his whole life and how it was that Shinrei was able to arrange a meeting. He had assumed that the silver-haired man knew nothing about the whereabouts of his parents but that clearly wasn't the case and he felt some of his trust in his guardian wobble.

Ryu remained quiet as the two of them headed for the gate, wondering what was going to happen and what his father would think of him. His stomach was churning with nervous excitement at seeing the man his grandfather had spoken up with such fond exasperation and whom Tenrou said he was so alike to in his willfulness. He was leaning closer to happiness when they reached the gate but it was quickly dampened when Shinrei sat him down in the brush surrounding the courtyard and told him that, no matter the outcome of the following events, he was to remain hidden until such time as Taihaku came to retrieve him.

Upset at being denied a face-to-face meeting with his sire, he protested immediately. He didn't think he would ever forget the sorrowful look on his master's face as he gave him a gentle pat on the head and told him that it was because his father wasn't ready to meet him yet and that he needed to hear and see the truth about their relationship. Shinrei even apologized for bringing him when he was still so weak but that this was one of the most important things he'd ever had to do.

Resentment curled within the boy as his master left him to stand in the courtyard, waiting for Ryu's father – Kyo, according to what he'd heard before. As the sun was setting, he saw the tall figure of a man approaching and leaned forward as much as he dared to get a better look, holding his breath at the sight that greeted him.

The stranger's hair was dark, just like his, but gilded with blood red highlights that were only magnified by its wildness and length. His clothes consisted of a simple black and white kimono and he was carrying a long sword that he recognized as Tenrou. Ryu briefly wondered how the sword had made it from Hishigi's lab to the imposing man's hand if he wasn't supposed to have it but such thoughts were swept away as he caught sight of the man's eyes.

If there was any question that the other man was his father, they were put to rest by the sight of his crimson eyes – the exact same shade as his own. However, the fading sunlight lent an inhuman glow to those brilliant irises and Ryu felt as if he were looking at a demon. A savage beast that walked and talked like a man while secretly waiting to shred to pieces the mere mortals who dared to approach him. Everything about him screamed arrogance and challenge and Ryu fought the natural fear that arose and the strange desire to answer that silent provocation, to show the man that he wasn't helpless prey.

The air grew thick with killing intent and the boy didn't move a muscle as his skin tingled from the suffocating aura emanating from his father. Kyo grinned as he spoke to Shinrei, showing his fangs, and Ryu absently poked his tongue against his own sharp canines, wondering if he looked like that as well when he grinned. Once the battle began he began to see and hear what Shinrei was so desperate to tell him.

As blade met blade he saw a tale unfold of anger and pain, loss and jealousy. His heart caught in his throat when his master summoned his dragons and knocked Kyo off his feet and he was worried that his father would die until he started to get back up and the water-user continued speaking to him. The child understood clearly that the two men were enemies and that Shinrei, his protector and the closest thing he'd had to a father for his entire life, bore a great deal of responsibility for his separation his real parents.

Of course, some of the conversation went over his head but he grit his teeth in anger when the silver-haired man explained that he had cursed Kyo's woman – who could only have been his mother – in order to force Kyo to fight him again. It all seemed horribly unfair and the boy felt contempt well up at such a terrible plot. He'd always thought of Shinrei as being honorable and heroic but what he heard sounded cruel and unfair and he wasn't sure what to think of someone who would do such a thing.

Because his emotions were in such disarray, he forced himself to leave them aside and focus on the movements of the two men. Although they were moving so quickly that he had a hard time following them sometimes, he was quickly entranced. Shinrei danced and flowed around his opponent – the signature of his sword school – but Kyo parried and overwhelmed and as the boy watched, adapted his moves to the other man's. It became more and more obvious that his father was a master at predicting the actions of his opponent and he was doubly impressed when those eyes were shut and he fought Shinrei without actually seeing him.

How was it that this creature, who was more monster than man, had managed to sire him? His heart was pounding in excitement as his blood rushed through his veins. There was so much power and bloodlust radiating from the man that he ceased to notice his own master as he watched, transfixed. Something about his father just drew him in and he had to fight the sudden urge to test him, pit himself against that power even though he'd barely begun to learn how to hold a sword, let alone swing it.

He was so caught up that he didn't immediately realize the danger when Kyo summoned a magnificent firebird and launched it in his direction. Of course it was intended for Shinrei but he could only stare at it as it flew forward, screaming in fury, and unable to move himself out of the way because of its hypnotic beauty and energy. He could just feel the searing heat of it when a blur of blue stepped between him and the phoenix and his guardian used his dragons to negate the attack, saving him from a fiery death.

The boy knew that Shinrei had specifically done it to preserve his life and sat back, shaking from the realization that - intentional or not - he had very nearly been killed by his own father's move. It was a sobering thought and he took deep breaths, doing his best to separate himself from the unfamiliar but destructive emotions the fight was engendering in him.

 _"It's that dark Mibu blood in action. It makes us say and do things we don't always mean."_

The words of his imposing grandfather echoed in his head and he realized that it had been just as much a warning as it was an explanation.

The rest of the fight went quickly and he held his breath as Shinrei stabbed himself - letting his blood run out onto the ground - and the wind started to pick up. A vortex gathered to swirl around his father and the air buzzed with so much ki that he wasn't sure if he had a hard time breathing because it was being sucked from his lungs or because he was afraid of the sheer magnitude of it. As Shinrei launched his final attack in a dazzling display of red death and growling, acidic dragons, he saw an evil smile touch his father's mouth and _knew_ that he was going to win.

Having long since passed the point where he could cheer for either of the two men, he understood - with the intuition of someone who had a warrior's blood flowing through his veins - that the strongest would come out on top. And the most powerful person on the battlefield, the man in whose image he had been created, was standing in opposition to his guardian.

As a snarl sounded and a nightmarish white tiger of massive proportions materialized, he stared, unblinking, into his father's red eyes and saw a demon god because no mere mortal could command such a savage beast. He watched in fascinated horror as it lashed out to kill his master with one claw – breathing a sigh of relief when all it destroyed was a water clone and sucking it in again when the animal followed up with the second claw.

This time, the silver-haired warrior was not so fortunate and his body was pulled in by the giant paw at the same time Ryu's father closed in, swinging his sword in a gleaming arc whose course was so graceful that even Shinrei's moves were clumsy in comparison. As the godly form of Kyo closed in, he saw the tiger's mouth open to crush his master's body with it's fangs and when Tenrou came down for the killing stroke, that gleaming maw snapped shut and blood sprayed into the air.

As quickly as it came, the ki dissipated, taking the beast with it and leaving silence in its wake as Shinrei slowly sank to the ground. His knees hit the pavement first and then the rest of his body pitched forward and Ryu clapped his hands over his mouth to avoid letting out a gasp of alarm and alerting his father to his presence. Despite his misgiving's about his caretaker's past actions, seeing him slain in front of his eyes kept him from running out to introduce himself to the man responsible, regardless of his status as his sire.

Tears were starting to gather in the boy's eyes as Kyo whipped his long sword through the air once to rid it of his master's blood before sheathing it and staring at the other man's prone form. To all appearances, his guardian looked to be dead but his father surprised him by speaking to the "corpse".

"Y'know, for all that you screwed me over a while back, this was more fun than I've had in years. You also gave me some good info so I'll let you live in return as one of my servants. I'm out," he shrugged carelessly before continuing, "but don't fret. I'll be back to finish what you guys started."

A tiny grin, so brief that Ryu almost thought he imagined it, touched that arrogant mouth as his father slung his long sword over his shoulder. His red-black head dipped in a half-nod – a grudging nugget of respect offered to his opponent. And then he turned and walked away without another word, disappearing into the night.

The child waited until long after his footsteps were gone before leaving the safety of his bush and kneeling next to Shinrei, hesitantly placing a hand on his back and smiling in relief when he felt it rise and fall slightly. He didn't understand it but he wouldn't question it.

The demon god had spared his mentor and planned to return. It was enough for now.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There was a long half-second where Akari stared at Yuya in shock before his hands left her shoulders and went to his crotch as he bent over, moaning in agony. Pitiless green eyes took in his prone form to ensure he wasn't going anywhere soon before their owner picked up her discarded under kimono, spun on her heel, and marched from the room after donning the garment.

Apparently, they had made more noise than she thought because other guests, who were alternately sleepy and cranky, poked their heads out of their respective rooms. No doubt they were wondering where the noise was coming from. The sight of an avenging blonde goddess with a thunderous expression on her pretty face as she marched down the hallway was enough to convince them that it was best to pretend nothing was happening.

Reaching Kyoshiro's room, Yuya slid the door open with a bang, bringing Kyoshiro up out of a sound sleep. He blinked at her in surprise and whimpered as she reached down and hauled him up with a strength born out of pure indignation, slamming him against the wall and skewering him with a look that would probably have incinerated a lesser man on the spot. As it was, the assassin who had literally killed hundreds of people was powerless against the slight woman who dug her nails into his shoulders and leaned in close to insure he heard every word she said.

"In a short while, we are going to have a nice little chat about keeping secrets from each other, Kyoshiro. But right now, you are going to march down to the women's bath and pick up a certain young man who has been going out of his way to drive me crazy."

Blue eyes stared at her in confusion as he said, "What young...oh..."

She saw the realization click in his head and sneered, "That's right. 'Oh.' As in, oh Yuya, I meant to tell you that you are rooming with another guy. Oh, Yuya, don't worry so much about another woman showing up out of nowhere and trying to bully you into admitting that marrying your husband was a mistake because, tee hee, she's really a he. Or how about, oh Yuya, don't go to the baths with your roommate, you don't want other men seeing you naked, do you?"

Kyoshiro flushed as his eyes left her face to take in her short under kimono and he connected the dots.

He opened his mouth to speak and Yuya stepped back quickly and held her hand up, forestalling his explanation as she said, "Save it. Go to the baths and retrieve Akari before I tie you both up and leave you naked in the hallway so you can see how it feels to get oggled without permission."

Nodding slowly, he exited the room before pausing and asking, "Before I go, exactly why do I need to pick him up? Can't he move on his own?"

"You need to pick him up because I just kneed his balls into his throat," she said calmly and heard something that sounded suspiciously like a snort of laughter that was hastily suppressed.

"Ah, I...I see," Kyoshiro said shakily before walking off to do as she ordered.

He didn't get quite far enough to stop her from hearing when he burst into chuckles and she rolled her eyes heavenward as she exited the room and returned to her own accommodations.

Men and their genitals. They didn't like it when someone kicked them there but had no problems laughing about it when it happened to another man.

It wasn't long before she heard Akari complaining loudly in the hall and she glared at her two companions as they entered the room with the shaman clutching his balled up clothes to his chest and a towel wrapped around his waist.

Violet eyes glared daggers as soon as he saw her and he said, "Kami, you have no idea how much that hurts! I haven't felt that pain in more than twenty years!"

"Well, that's just too bad," Yuya replied without a shred of remorse, "It serves you right for always picking on me."

"I can't help it if you are lacking in the female assets department."

"You don't _have_ female assets!" Yuya shot back.

"I do so! I'm prettier than you and _way_ more feminine."

"On what planet? You're taller than Kyoshiro, you sucker punched him in the stomach the first time you met him, and you're as strong as a horse."

"Those are all just part Akari-Tan's allure," he replied, batting his lashes.

Kyoshiro let go of Akari's shoulder and turned his face away, making a strangled sound like he was holding back laughter yet again.

"Don't start acting cute now," the bounty huntress said, "I can't believe I didn't figure this out when you were literally the most masculine woman I had ever met."

The shaman shrugged and said, "I can't help that you're so slow. Kyoshiro figured it out and Muramasa knew it right off the bat. I guess we'll also add oblivious to the list of reasons why I can't believe Kyo picked you."

Yuya almost lunged at him, intent on punching that smug face but Kyoshiro stopped her with gentle hands as he said, "He's just teasing you Yuya."

"Stop keeping that stupid list!" she demanded, glaring at Akari who walked over to his things and sat down, pulling out a box containing his meat buns and placing it next to him.

"I'll do whatever I want. I'm twice the woman you are anyways," he said loftily as he reached into the box and pulled out two buns, holding them up to his chest as if judging how they'd look before casting his gaze over at Yuya's bust with a considering look.

He put the food back and pulled out a second, larger set of snacks and, after visually measuring them against her breasts, smirked in satisfaction once he determined that his "boobs" were going to be bigger than hers.

Yuya was beyond tired and getting a headache from prolonged irritation. Letting out a heavy sigh, she sank down to her knees and asked wearily, "Do I even want to know?"

She stared at Akari, who stared back at her and was sitting with his legs sprawled wide in a very masculine position – she assumed it was to give relief to his bruised genitals. The young woman thought it was horribly unfair for one person be make both a beautiful woman and a devastatingly handsome man.

Without the cover of clothing - save the towel wrapped around his waist - and with his hair down loose, she thought he was one of the most striking men he'd ever seen. Her earlier assessment was correct in that he had a well-muscled, if lean, physique. He wasn't as thick as Kyo but there were too many bulges to hide his sex without being draped in layers of robes.

It was odd because he had a swordsman's body but in day-to-day life he was a priestess and she had to wonder what sort of exercise he got to achieve such muscular definition. Speaking of which, he hadn't have time to completely dry his hair and she blushed, realizing that the long strands were plastered to his chest. She thought nothing of Kyoshiro's body because he was like a brother but it was another thing entirely to see a strange man who was half naked and gorgeous.

Of course, Akari caught on and said knowingly, "See something interesting?"

Quickly bringing her head up, she said, "I just...I'm not used to being around any other men when they're half dressed. I've only ever really seen Kyo. Sorry, for staring."

"Eh, look your fill. It's not that big a deal," he replied, pushing his hair back over his shoulder.

"Usually I'd agree but, I'll admit you actually make a handsome man as well," it was probably exhaustion making her so frank but she felt the need to explain herself.

Akari blinked, as if she'd said something completely unexpected, before bringing his hand up to his mouth and saying with mock surprise, "Why, Yuya, are you falling for me? What will Kyo think?"

Nope, the desire to pull his hair out was still there and she scowled, folding her arms as he burst into laughter once more before leaning back on his arms and giving her a thoughtful look. She flushed under his scrutiny and asked a little waspishly, "What?"

"Nothing much. I _did_ get a good a good eyeful earlier and I'll admit that you aren't _that_ bad either. Not as beautiful as me of course," naturally he couldn't compliment her without drawing a comparison but she let it slide.

Yuya was ready to head back to the bath or go to sleep and she was starting to lean towards the former when the shaman's face softened a bit and he said, "I guess I should explain."

"You really don't have to," she began. Yes, she was curious but she was also really tired.

"It'll be short, I promise," he said and she nodded, realizing that he was actually opening up to her for once. She wasn't sure what had changed since kneeing him in the twins but whatever it was, there was a small measure of respect in that violet gaze that hadn't been there before.

"Well, I was raised as a female from a young age as a means to increase my spiritual powers and eventually it took hold," Yuya refrained from commenting that he was still pretty masculine, knowing that it would be unwelcome, and continued listening.

"Kyo _did_ essentially rescue me because the Mibu were sending assassins to get me. He showed up with the rest of the guys and Kyo liked my strength so much that he brought me along."

For some reason, it felt like he was leaving a lot out of the story but she kept her own counsel as he said, "Anyways, we had a lot of fun together for a while and I wanted it to last forever. So I told Kyo I wanted to marry him."

Her brow went up at that because she knew Kyo's reputation with the fairer sex and Akari laughed, twirling a long lock of hair around his finger as he said, "Oh, Kyo knew I was a guy – no women are allowed to be a part of the Four Emperors - but he didn't laugh at me. He just told me that he'd go through with it if I could hit his face."

Yuya sighed, leave it to Kyo to make a joke out of something as serious as marriage. She knew her husband well enough to know that he had made the promise with full confidence that he would never have to fulfill it but it was a little annoying that he entertained it in the first place.

"I knew it was impossible and, if I were honest, I'll admit that I didn't ask him for altruistic reasons. I was alone for such a long time and he was the first person who liked me for me. He was and still is my best friend. Being with Kyo and the rest was like living in a long, wonderful dream and I never wanted it to end."

He looked away, and rubbed his gloved hand with his right one. There was such melancholy in his tone and Yuya remembered Muramasa's words about Akari probably having a hard life. In between the gaps in his story, she saw glimpses of a man who had gone through a significant amount of tragedy in his past and her naturally soft heart went out to him.

The shaman turned to face her once more and she saw an expression of such loneliness that she had to force herself not to go over and give him a hug. He had a lot of pride and she wasn't sure he would welcome such a gesture.

"Just in case you were wondering, I didn't tell you all of this to garner your pity," he said after a while, hardening his expression as if bracing for whatever emotions they would throw his way.

"Of course not," Yuya said, "but I am curious as to why you would tell us now when we were just fighting a few minutes ago and after I...," she blushed, remembering what she had done to him when he came out of the bath and ran a hand through her hair, "...well, after I, you know."

"Jammed your knee in my crotch," he said with an amused tone.

Yuya nodded and he chuckled as he replied, "To be honest, I've been considering it ever since I told you about Aiko's ability and you didn't freak out. Issues with you marrying Kyo aside, I can't hate you as much when you were so nice to her. Not every parent is so kind when they find out their child is a shaman."

There it was again, that shadow lurking in his eyes that came and went in less than a blink.

"Anyways," he continued, "you get credit for being able to land a hit on me. I might be gorgeous but I'm still one of the Four Emperors and my abilities are nothing to sneeze at."

It was such an odd way of being semi-complimented. 'Oh you crushed my balls, that means you're a-ok.' However, she would take whatever small victories she could with her difficult companion. Besides, if she thought of him as a sort of feminine version of Kyo, she could see where he had his good points too. Kami knew, the two of them were actually pretty similar in their goal to get a rise out of her. Akari, she decided, acted like a naughty little boy who played all of the pranks he hadn't been able to get away with as a child.

 _'He even has the same maturity level as Kyo,'_ she thought to herself sardonically. Why were all of her friends such odd ducks?

As if to prove her point, Akari changed the script yet again and said sweetly, "Since we are on the subject of genitals, lets see the damage you did, Yuya-Chan."

He then proceeded to tug the towel around his waist away so he could get a look and she whipped her head away with a blush, listening as he said, "A little swollen but I think I'll be alright."

The bounty huntress waited until she heard the rustle of clothes and breathed a sigh of relief when she turned to find him clothed in the towel again and sorting out his robes.

The irises that met hers were dancing and she knew she was being teased. Sighing in resignation, she pulled her hair tie loose, preparing to comb it at least if she wasn't going to bathe that night and debating how she could ask Akari to sleep in Kyoshiro's room.

She was so weary that it took the shaman a few tries to get her attention and she blinked tired eyes at the beautiful man as he said asked quietly, "Just out of curiosity, how _do_ I compare to Kyo?"

"Akari-San, I am incredibly tired right now. What in the world are you talking about?"

"I'm saying you had to have gotten a look when you ran into me in the bath. I want to know, who is bigger, me or Kyo?" those eyes flickered downwards to his lap and realization dawned on what sort of comparison he was asking for and that he was having fun at her expense yet again.

Yuya stared at Akari for a long moment before quietly rising to her feet, walking over to the door and sliding it open – yup, a bath sounded wonderful now. She was just going to leave but she paused on the threshold and looked back at the shaman, who had a smug expression on his face at having gotten the best of her.

Deciding that a little revenge was in order, she leaned against the doorway and allowed a dreamy smile to touch her lips as she said, "I'm sorry, there's just no comparison. You'll have to hit Kyo's face to find out."

She winked at Akari, stuck her tongue out at him, and ducked out of the room, grinning to herself as he immediately started grumbling and Kyoshiro burst out laughing.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

More story progression up ahead and maybe some new faces. As always, Akari is pure fun to write, Ryu is a lot like his dad, and Shinrei isn't dead. Yay!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading. Please let me know your thoughts.


	14. Bad Fathers and Good Friends

**Thanks to: abattles2** (Yuya and Akari are so much fun to write and of course no one can compare to Kyo but Yuya has to get a chance to troll Akari at some point. Tora and Sasuke are already in Edo – remember who Tora's dad is - we'll see them soon enough), **Guest** (Glad you are loving it), **kyoandyuya** (I update as I can. Ryu is having a hard time but he'll be alright in the end and there's nothing wrong with thinking he's cute. Akari might not be as bad as Kyo but he does like to tease Yuya at first.), **Juliedoo** (Hey, Julie, so happy to hear from you again! I'm super happy you are enjoying the story and the way I write Yuya and Akari, their relationship was always fun. I'm also happy you like the children. I wanted them to be likeable with their own personalities without taking over the story completely because this is still a Kyo/Yuya fic.), **Guest** (I'm happy you are enjoying the story and I hope Kyo and Yuya see each other again soon too. Can't wait to write that.), **Deby MU** (Ryu is more fascinated by his father at this point than at the point where he likes/dislikes him. Glad you like Akari, he's a fun character and I can't wait to write the Emperors' interactions with each other. Yuya can't help but compare but Kyo is still and always will be the best. ;-) As for the new faces, it's someone from the manga that I've only vaguely covered earlier.), **ThunderxShadow** (I aim to please ^_^), **magicalnana** (Will see what I can do to add more Kyo but I have to add plot as well), **general zargon** (I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter and the way I wrote Yuya and Akari. I could never kill Shinrei off, I love him too much), **Rinfantasy** (Lol, Yuya is a force unto herself who accepts no competitors, that's why Kyo loves her), **lmamc**

 **Author's Note:** Sadly, no Kyo in this chapter but lots of plot and old characters, and there will be oodles of our favorite red-eyed samurai in the upcoming chapters. More Kyo/Yuya is coming very soon, I promise. ^_^

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twelve**

 **Bad Fathers and Good Friends**

 _Red eyes._

 _He stood transfixed by that crimson gaze as it met his own over the shoulder of the man being choked to death._

 _The sound of bones cracking filled the air and he held his breath, wondering what was going to happen next as the man slumped to the ground and those vivid irises assessed him coldly._

 _The two boys stared at each other for a while before the Demon Child turned away, freeing him from the spell that he'd cast and going over to his cot to lay down._

 _It was such a simple act but the impact it had on him was profound. He had always been told that the boy in the cell was a monster sent to plague the clan, who would kill without conscience if given the chance. Instead, he had been saved from a gruesome fate and the "monster" was laying there, ignoring him._

 _Why didn't the boy try to kill him as well? Why hadn't he seen any ill-intent in those unique eyes? Why did he rescue him in the first place?_

 _Such thoughts tormented him as he ran away from the dungeon that he had entered out of curiosity about its young, lone occupant. He left behind the darkness and returned to the opulence of his father's residence with a troubled heart, pausing as the servants fussed over the dirt staining his fine silk garb before ushering him in to see his sire._

 _As always, his father's face was stern and the look in his golden eyes was annoyed because his heir was behaving in ways that he did not approve of. The man expected nothing less than perfection and absolute obedience and sometimes he wondered if the man even loved him. He had worked tirelessly to inculcate into his heir the importance and dignity of his station and to insure he understood his obligations as a noble of the clan. And the young boy tried as hard as he could to live up to his expectations._

 _Discipline. Obedience. Honor._

 _The child believed in those ideals because it pleased his father and his clan. However, he was curious as well. His mind was often restless, constantly moving, constantly taking things apart and putting them back together. Always, he was asking "why" and this time held true as well as he recounted the tale of his venture into the dungeons. The more he talked about his encounter, the more the pieces started to fit together and the more he realized that the Demon Child was not at all what they thought he was._

 _The thought took root and grew into an epiphany about the nature of the "evil" boy in the dungeon. A smile of excitement and happiness at his find grew and he was eager, ecstatic even, as he shared it with his father. He addressed that stern visage and, with glowing words, told him about how he had been saved and how pretty those forbidden red eyes were and how he didn't think the Demon Child was a bad person at all._

 _The crack of palm meeting cheek followed that innocent proclamation and the boy hit the floor so hard that he bounced. His father's anger was wild, terrifying and he curled into himself as he laid into him for daring to defend the Demon Child. Flaying him with his words as he went down the list of sins he had committed by giving into his childish curiosity and ordering him to forget what had happened._

 _He had been disciplined. He must obey. It was the honorable thing to do._

 _The next day he was turned over to Fubuki and it was impressed upon him that the clan was his family and that it must be protected at all costs. Eventually, he truly did blank out the "traitorous" thoughts he'd had about the cursed boy in his lonely cell and admiration was carefully twisted into hatred by the masterful hand of the head of the Taishirou._

 _He was to close his eyes, plug his ears, play pretend and_ _ **never**_ _speak favorably of the Demon Child._

 _ ***End Flashback***_

Two days after losing to Kyo, Shinrei woke up from old dreams and painful memories. He stared at the ceiling as he sorted through his thoughts and realized that he was not dead and that, for the second time in his life, he had been touched by the Demon Child's mercy. As he turned his head to look at the boy - so much like his father - keeping a sleepy vigil over him, he smiled because he knew that the boy would not be there if he didn't care.

He had bet his life and his relationship with Ryu on the outcome of his battle and had lost neither. As he closed his eyes, delighting in the very act of breathing, he laughed. He had hoped and that hope had born fruit. Kyo was free and would return to avenge himself – he knew it with absolute certainty. And in that other man's selfish desire for vengeance, he saw a way out for his people.

' _What will you do now, Kyo?'_ he wondered.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sometimes Tokito wondered how she could function with so much hatred swimming through her veins.

It was there when she woke up. It breathed down her neck whenever she was around other people. It gripped her heart every time she heard the name of the man who had given her life then summarily abandoned her.

Muramasa.

No matter where she turned, he was always there and she was always reduced to nothing more than his "son". To some, she was a reminder of one the greatest traitors the clan had ever known and to others she was the last glimmer of hope they had from a man they idolized. Neither side ever considered her on her own merits, not even when she was made an Elder, and so she nursed her bitterness and hatred until it was a monster that accompanied her wherever she went.

If she could not receive the comfort and respect that she longed for from her own clan then she would take solace in her own misery because at least that was one thing that was constant. Well, that and her fervent wish to kill the man who sired her. No matter how she turned it over in her head, she didn't understand why he hadn't wanted her. Was she defective? Did she annoy him? Why had he chosen to take the Demon Child with him instead of her? Did he want a son and was he disappointed when all he had was a daughter? According to the clan members, she looked just like him and she didn't understand how he could abandon someone who clearly bore his features, who had his blood running through her veins.

There were so many unanswered questions that filled her with confusion and pain whenever she sought answers and so she stopped looking and took her pleasure where she could. And for her, enjoyment came from robbing others of their happiness. If she wasn't allowed to obtain it then what made everyone else so special that they should have something that eluded her? Contentment? Joy? Hopes? Dreams?

How dare they!

As Tokito emerged into the King's throne room, her eyes fell on the tall figure of Fubuki and her blue-green gaze softened imperceptibly. There was only one person she respected and he was as magnificent as always. He was so tall and strong and she wished with all her heart that she could have had a father like him instead of a legacy of shame from the man who cast her away. Why couldn't she have been born as his son instead of as a girl who had to maintain the illusion of a boy - stuck at the age of fourteen to make it easier to hide her bust and hips? The few times she looked at herself when she released the bonds maintaining her boyish figure, she had wanted to vomit. She was a beautiful woman and yet, all she saw were Muramasa's features staring back at her.

So everyday, she tied her hated breasts down with vicious determination, using the pain to remind herself that anything was better than being who she was and that Fubuki was the one who had been kind enough to gift her with a new life and a new place as one of the Taishirou.

As she listened to Fubuki fill the king in on the latest developments, including the unwelcome news that Kyo had taken off on his own and that he had apparently crushed Shinrei in battle when he tried to stop him, she wondered why it was that they served the former Crimson King in the first place. Ever since Fubuki had given her a stern warning about disrespecting their ruler after she questioned the red-haired buffoon about his plans for Kyo and his little brat, she'd felt resentful towards the man. The head Elder had never chastised her so strongly before and it left a bad taste in her mouth.

The former king was so goofy, even when he was asking them simple questions about the going-ons of the clan. She didn't understand him and with that lack of understanding came a disrespect that only festered the longer she listened to and watched him bumble his way around the throne room and play with that useless little red-headed child while Yuan snickered in the background. She couldn't help but draw comparisons between the fool who led them and her precious Fubuki.

She was firmly convinced that the white-haired man was the true savior of the Mibu and the sole reason why they were able to survive despite the Death Disease and she wondered if it were possible to make him the king instead. It was a treasonous thought but one that was appealing and she licked her lips in amusement as she imagined showing the king how out of touch and unworthy he was to rule over herself and the clan.

Tokito was just about to reach into her clothes to pull out the cards she used to both foretell misfortune and kill the people who annoyed her – intent on embarrassing the king – when he stopped mid-sentence and smiled at her pleasantly.

"Now that simply won't do, Tokito. It's best not to scheme up foolish things."

The young woman had just enough time to feel a shiver of apprehension before the king was before her and she was being cut in half cleanly with a strike that was so forceful it pulverized the stone beneath her. She could feel it as her skull was split open and her bones and organs were torn to shreds before she could even scream, bathing the area around her with blood.

It was a mere fraction of a second but she suddenly found herself standing and staring at the king on his throne with wide eyes. He hadn't moved an inch but his point had been made loud and clear and her legs gave way, dumping her unceremoniously onto the floor. Shudders of pure, unadulterated terror wracked her body and she curled up into a ball. She barely noticed it when Fubuki quickly stepped in front of her and bowed low with Hishigi in tow, begging the king to spare her life in that smoothly eloquent voice she so adored.

Normally she would have been ecstatic at receiving such concern from her idol but she was too busy fighting the urge to throw up and reeling from the realization of how stupid she had been. Not once had it occurred to her that behind that genial face and those clumsy mannerisms lay a monster of immense proportions and she fought to wrap her brain around the fact that she had very nearly been killed with just a thought.

For the first time in her life, Tokito, the youngest of the Taishirou, was thoroughly humiliated, thoroughly humbled, and thoroughly scared. With those emotions came the understanding that the king truly had no need of their power - he was that far beyond all of them in strength - and that he kept them around for his own personal reasons. With vivid clarity she knew that it was in her best interests not to alter those motives.

It was a singularly unique experience and she was still trembling when the king spoke again. And this time, now that she had a glimpse of what lay behind those thick glasses, that gentle voice took on a whole new level of menace as he said, "There is no need to beg forgiveness, Fubuki. Tokito was merely being a child and all children make mistakes at some point. However, I understand that he has gone through his share of hardships and that patience can elude even the best of us. With that in mind, I have an assignment for him."

Slowly, she raised her head in the king's direction, averting her eyes so as not to look the demon who ruled over them in the eyes.

Her voice wavered slightly as she said with uncharacteristic meekness, "Whatever my lord commands."

"Wonderful Tokito. You should be very happy with this request. In fact, I think it's something you've been looking forward to for some time. I'd like you to leave the Mibu lands and retrieve something for me."

She frowned, wondering what he could possibly need her to get that couldn't be handled by one of the Five Stars or their low-level soldiers. Of course she would do as commanded – her rebellious thoughts had dried up the moment she tasted her own death - but she'd never heard of one of the Four Elders being sent to human territory.

"You are a very quick study," the king said with a smile, indicating that he was still reading her thoughts and making her flinch.

"Well, let's not waste time and beat around the bush. I think you'll find my request to be quite cathartic for you. I want you to pay a visit to your father."

She gave a start and stared at him with huge eyes as he continued, "And I'd like very much for you to retrieve him and a small girl that happens to be staying with him. Don't harm the child, since I am very interested in meeting her, but my only requirement for Muramasa is that you bring him back alive. What you do to him in between his home and here is your choice."

It was an unexpectedly magnanimous gift and she wavered between caution at being chosen for something so important when she had nearly revolted against her god and king moments ago and the first stirrings of a dark joy at getting a chance to confront her neglectful sire.

Years of anguish and malcontent meant there was no contest and she bestowed upon him one of her rare genuine smiles as she replied, "It will be my pleasure Sire."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Edo was just as busy as Yuya remembered. Thus far, she and Kyoshiro had stuck to the surrounding towns around their home when they went off to hunt their bounties and so she had a brief moment of claustrophobia when they entered the gates and found themselves pressed on all sides with people.

The city was bustling with life and energy. There were people conversing, trading their wares, and moving in and out of houses and shops and she even saw the occasional soldier - which caused her to shrink back a bit because she _was_ still married to a wanted man and he'd fought in the tournament for criminals years past. At the end of the day, she was still a country girl at heart and it took a moment to readjust to so many people and realize that they had no idea who she was and weren't paying her any mind outside of the occasional odd look at her blonde tresses.

Instead, more than one person stopped and stared at Akari as he passed by – marveling at his unique looks and the air of untouchable beauty he projected. The shaman's face was serene and a tiny smile played around his lips. To all outward appearances, he was an enchanting traveling priestess who was merely passing through on her way to do good deeds and help those in need.

Yuya had pegged his personality well enough to know that he was probably just basking in the admiration and was going to be insufferable for the next few hours. Sure enough, once they'd picked an inn and settled down in a room since separate ones weren't available, the shaman flitted back and forth, exclaiming in excitement at being the center of attention.

The bounty huntress sighed and unpacked her bag while she waited for Akari to come back down from his egotistical high. She turned to ask Kyoshiro, who was sitting on his futon, what he wanted for dinner and paused, staring at him in concern. For a while now – as far back as shortly before they left her father-in-law's house - she'd noticed that he wasn't sleeping very well. Since he'd always had the occasional nightmare about his blood-soaked past for as long as they'd been under the same roof, she hadn't troubled him about it because he always got very antsy and uncomfortable when she tried to get more details about his life as a Mibu assassin.

Sometimes, he would just sit on the porch and stare off into space in the general direction of the Mibu clan and she felt like he was somewhere else entirely. Usually, the young man was quite cheerful but she could see the guilt weighing down on him about the things he had done and the way he flinched whenever she mentioned her brother. As for her, she cared for him a great deal but sometimes she struggled with the knowledge that he was the reason why Nozomu was gone. And it was only the realization that he was also the reason why Kyo had come into her life that allowed her to push back the tears that threatened when she cast her mind back to the dark day she entered her house to find her brother slain.

Pushing those thoughts aside before she could look at them too closely, she observed the dark shadows beneath his blue eyes and rose to walk over to him, touching him lightly on his shoulder. He was so out of it that it was a full two seconds before he blinked and looked at her, mustering up a pitiful smile as he asked, "Yes, Yuya?"

"Are you alright, Kyoshiro? You look exhausted," she said with a worried frown.

"I just haven't been getting much rest lately," he replied, yawning and blinking rapidly as if it had caught him off-guard.

"So I noticed. Why don't you take a nap? I'll grab Akari-San and take him with me to get some food so you can have some peace and quiet."

"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself with Akari-San, Yuya? I can go with you instead," Kyoshiro was trying so hard to stay awake at that point that she shook her head and gave him a gentle shove, causing him to sprawl back on his bedding.

She smirked and gave him a flick on the nose before saying, "I'll be fine. I give you my solemn vow that I won't kill him and hide the body."

He smiled and Akari sniffed in indignation, having pulled himself away from his self-aggrandizement long enough to catch Yuya's comment.

"No need to be rude," the shaman said huffily.

"It's the truth. You were being a brat at first and you know it," the bounty huntress said, offering him a grin to take the sting out of her words. Akari was still annoying at times but they were getting along better since their honest talk a few days prior and their interactions were more good-natured ribbing than anything else.

Akari humphed and Kyoshiro gave a tired laugh before saying, "Alright, I'll try to sleep. You two just need to stay out of trouble until we work out how to get in contact with your friends. And Akari-San," he fixed the other man with intent blue eyes.

"Watch over Yuya. Kyo asked me to protect her and he is still a wanted man here. He'll kill us both if anything happens to her."

A look that Yuya couldn't quite decipher passed between the two and Akari's face took on a serious expression that morphed him from a flippant priestess to a stern young man before nodding. It was the first time she had seen the shaman look like the warrior that the leanly muscled body beneath his robes proclaimed he was and she forgot to protest their belief that she needed protection.

It would have been a token objection anyways because, while she could take on most normal humans, the people who tended to seek Kyo out usually fell outside that criteria and she was ever conscious of the fact that she could be used against her husband. It had happened once and she would rather die than let it happen again.

She watched as those blue eyes slowly drifted shut and Akari reached down and pulled her up with uncharacteristic gentless before pushing her out of the room and closing the door behind them. Yuya was surprised when the shaman linked his arm with hers and said, "I have the feeling you are the sort to wander off and get into to trouble. So to save myself a headache, the two of us will simply be a couple of girlfriends out on a stroll to go shopping and I will _try_ to tolerate your presence."

Yuya frowned because she didn't think she was that bad – even though the last time she was in Edo she _had_ been stalked by a couple of soldiers and nearly killed. Of course, then there was the part where she was drugged so a vengeful woman could steal her identity and kill Kyo.

 _'Okay, so maybe I do attract trouble,'_ she thought in chagrin and didn't pull her arm away as Akari escorted her from one shop to another and basked in the attention of the men who stopped to check them out.

About three stores in, Yuya asked the shaman, "I don't know how you can handle so much attention. We can barely move without someone trying to flirt with you."

"It comes with the territory of being so beautiful," he replied lighty before saying in a much quieter voice, "and it's better to admired than feared in a place like this. As a bonus focusing on the praise helps me to keep my game face on. I hate crowds and people in general so count yourself blessed to be allowed in the presence of Akari-Sama."

His tone was humorless but his smile was pleasant as a woman passed by and asked him how he got such lovely hair. The young woman just stared at him, trying to figure out how someone could have two such distinct faces as he stopped at a stand to buy onigiri – most likely to serve as replacement breasts.

Once he had the snacks in hand, he bent his head close and murmured, "Don't freak out but we're being followed."

Yuya nodded briefly and whispered back, "Can you see who it is?"

The shaman pulled her forward and turned a bit, lifting his hand and pointing at a pretty hair ornament before laughing and leaning in close as if to tell her about the decoration as he said, "A man. Noteworthy because he is so unremarkable that it doesn't feel natural and I can feel his ki, it's higher than a normal person's."

"What do you plan to do?" Yuya asked.

"I'll go see for myself what he wants and handle him if he gets rough," the way Akari said "handle" gave her chills and she saw that the warrior face was back again.

"You, stay here," he ordered, showing her to a nearby cart with a collection of odds and ends, ranging from masks to cookware and old clothes.

The tall shaman glided back the way they came and she was grateful for his height and looks because she was able to keep him in sight. She focused on her companion until the hairs on the back of her neck raised and she got the feeling that she was being watched. Slowly moving her head from side to side, she tried to figure out where the sensation was coming from. Her senses were nowhere near as sharp as Akari's but she'd spent enough time around strong fighters and bounties that she could pick out a strong ki if it was close enough.

Leaning against the cart, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes in order to concentrate, doing her best to block out the noise around her and focus on the sound of her own heartbeat. With agonizing slowness, the hubbub around her receded and she found what she was looking for, a ki that was significantly higher than was normal. The person was on the other side of the cart and closing in and she surreptitiously reached behind herself to hike the back of her kimono up so that she could reach the knives strapped to her leg.

She was about to withdraw her weapons when strong fingers were wrapped around her wrist, halting her progress and a voice said next to her ear, "You still need more practice, Nee-San."

That voice! It was a lot deeper than she remembered but the half-mocking tone was the same and, when she turned her head to look at its owner, the golden eyes with cat-like pupils looking back at her were the same as well.

Yuya smiled and exclaimed happily, "Sasuke-Kun!"

His lips quirked slightly and he opened them to respond when his eyes narrowed and he jerked her close. She barely registered what he had done before he sidestepped the pointed end of a shakujo which slammed into the side of the cart, causing it to rock on its wheels.

"Take your hands off of her," Akari said menacingly, violet eyes flashing as he withdrew the staff and raised it slightly.

A dark aura that gave off a sinister feeling appeared around the shaman's hands and gradually spread up the length of his weapon. Sasuke pushed her behind him and his hand went to the sword strapped to his back as he raised his ki and she thought she smelled ozone. The owner of the cart finally put in an appearance once he figured out his property had been damaged and came around the side to run them off, only to do an about-face when he caught sight of the tall woman with the strangely glowing staff and the boy with eyes like a wild beast.

Yuya had yet to see Akari in action but the air crackled with danger and she sensed that things were going to go south very quickly if she didn't intervene.

Jerking her appendage loose from Sasuke's grip, she stepped between the two and held her hands up as she said, "It's alright, Akari-San. He's a friend."

The shaman looked from her to the ninja and back again before asking, "Are you sure?"

The question came out softly and she had a feeling that the teenager was about to narrowly escape a fight he was unlikely to win.

"Positive," she said and the tall man stared at her a moment longer, as if to make sure she was telling the truth, before the black aura disappeared.

He lowered his staff and flicked a strand of pink hair over one shoulder before placing his right hand on his hip. Sasuke followed suit by standing down as well and she breathed a sigh of relief that a fight hadn't broken out.

"Akari-San, this is Sasuke-Kun. He works for Yukimura-San of the Sanada clan and he came with us to the Mibu lands four years ago," she gestured to the young man.

She was about to introduce Akari but he beat her to the punch by stepping forward and saying haughtily, " I am the great Akari-Sama - the strongest of the Four Emperors."

With that bold proclamation, he walked over to Yuya and, catching her by the arm, pulled her forward so he could interject himself between her and the shinobi. He gave the young man a long considering look which was returned with a neutral expression.

Tilting his head back towards the bounty huntress, he asked, "How in the world is it that _you_ keep attracting all of these good-looking guys?"

He didn't even have the tact to whisper the question and Sasuke shot Akari an annoyed look as he folded his arms and leaned against the cart. Yuya frowned at the shaman for teasing the young man already and herself by extension because his tone said he thought she didn't have much appeal.

Ignoring the rude implications in his statement, she looked back at Sasuke and had to admit that the boy of twelve had grown into a handsome young man of sixteen. His silver hair and golden cat eyes were still striking but the childish roundness had been carved away and replaced by well defined cheekbones and a generous, if unsmiling, mouth. He probably wasn't going to be a very tall man once he was done growing but he still rose over her and his arms and legs were muscular from years of swordplay and roof-jumping. She imagined that he was probably getting a lot of feminine attention by now.

He was appraising her as well she noticed and, offering him an apologetic smile for staring instead of conversing, she said, "I really am happy to see you, Sasuke-Kun, even though you gave me a little scare."

The corner of his mouth twitched at her stern tone and she continued, "How have you been and where is Benitora-San? I thought the two of you came to Edo together."

"We did, Nee-San. He's still here actually but he couldn't get away. He's had us watching the gate for the past year to see if you showed up."

"Us?" she queried, wondering who the solitary young man had partnered with.

"I'm thinking he was in league with that guy I saw following us earlier," Akari said and both of his companions turned to look at him.

"I was working my way to him when he just vanished into thin air. That's when I turned to come back and saw this kid leaning over you, Yuya-San. How old are you anyways, boy?" Akari asked briskly.

Apparently some things never changed because Sasuke said nothing in response and merely stared the shaman down.

 _'Still as shy about speaking to strangers as ever,'_ she thought to herself before answering for the young man and replying, "Sasuke-Kun should be sixteen by now. It's so weird to think that he's now the same age I was when I first met Kyo. Time really flies doesn't it?"

"Can't he answer for himself?" Akari asked.

"Akari-San...," Yuya said with a pained tone because she didn't feel like stopping another fight and her young friend was starting to get an annoyed look in his eyes.

"I know, I know, he's a friend and all that good stuff. I just think it's weird that he showed up out of nowhere and was following us instead of greeting us properly."

Those were valid concerns but she got the feeling something else was bothering the older man. However, she wasn't going to get a straight answer out of him in front of someone he didn't know so she turned her attention back to Sasuke and asked, "So who is this "us" you spoke of and what have you been doing these past years? I can tell you are a lot stronger."

Golden eyes flicked over Akari before he opted to ignore the shaman and replied, "I've been working with Benitora to get stronger. He is still an idiot but he's gotten better as well and his dad affords me a lot of opportunities to fight. Currently, I am partnered up with two other people. One of them was indeed following the two of you."

"Ah ha!" her other companion exclaimed.

She mentally rolled her eyes at the shaman's childishness and said cheerfully, "If Tora-San can't come to see us, why don't we go and pay him a visit? It sounds like he finally fixed his relationship with his father and I'd love to meet him."

Sasuke was quiet for a long moment and she wondered if she'd said something wrong when a mischievous look entered those golden eyes and he said, "That sounds like a good idea. Why don't we go pay them both a visit?"

"Lovely," she clapped her hands together to indicate that things were settled and said, "Let's go back to the inn and pick Kyoshiro up. I hate to interrupt his nap but maybe we can all get together and have dinner together like old times."

Humming in happiness at the thought of seeing Benitora again, she led the way back to the inn, paying no heed to the two men who trailed after her in silence. Sasuke opted to wait outside while a sulky Akari followed her inside. She was just going to ignore him but things had been going so well between the two of them of late that she felt compelled to ask him what was bothering him and why he was being so antagonistic towards the teenager. After all, Akari was almost her friend now if still rough around the edges.

Yuya hesitated in front of the door to their room and turned to the shaman as she asked gently, "By the way, what was all of that?"

"What was all of what?" he replied a little defensively and she inclined her head to the side, trying to figure out what had rubbed him the wrong way this time.

"That whole exchange with Sasuke. I already confirmed that he was my friend. Is there something about him that bothers you?"

"I just don't like how sneaky he is," came the brusque reply.

"He's a shinobi, that kind of comes with the territory and he's fantastically good at what he does."

"A little too good if you ask me. What would you have done if it had been anyone else?"

"Tried to fight as best I could."

He made a contemptuous sound and said, "You are such a weakling. Attitude can only carry you so far, you know."

"Of course," she replied, genuinely confused as to where he was going with this mini-tirade.

"That's the problem with you. You keep doing things on willpower alone and making people worried about you."

A thought occurred to her and she smiled warmly at the shaman as she asked, "Why Akari-San, are you upset because he slipped past you? Where you concerned for me?"

She must have nailed it on the head because his cheeks pinkened slightly and he lifted his nose and replied disdainfully, "I said you make _people_ worry about you. That doesn't mean I'm included. It's not like I'm friends with you yet or that we'll go around braiding each other's hair and stuff."

Suppressing a laugh she replied, "First off, the thought of giggling back and forth and braiding hair with you is just creepy and second, too bad. You might not consider me a friend and I might think you are a pain in the butt sometimes but it's too late. I've already decided to be your friend so deal with it!"

To punctuate her point, she poked him in the chest and he stared at her finger until she started feeling awkward and quickly withdrew it. Those violet eyes rose to meet hers and she couldn't read much from his expression outside of his pink cheeks.

"You are such a strange person," he said quietly before turning to open the door to their room and entering it, leaving a bewildered Yuya behind to wait as he woke Kyoshiro up.

The former assassin staggered out, yawning and rubbing at his eyes and she affectionately ruffled his dark head as she said, "Hey there sleepyhead, sorry to get you up but there's someone you need to meet."

He blinked owlishly at her and nodded before going back into the room and retrieving his sword, only half-listening as she filled him in on what had happened and giving a nod to the boy outside that he had met briefly when they were escaping the Mibu lands. They made their way quickly through the crowd and Yuya looked around in surprise as the houses went from average to very nice the closer they got to their destination.

Before long, they were standing in front of gates that she knew very well and she turned to ask Sasuke in a worried tone, "This is the castle, right?"

His eyes were bright as he replied simply, "Yes."

"Don't tell me Benitora got captured by the Shogun. I know he was a bandit once but I don't think he really hurt anyone."

"He isn't in jail," the ninja replied and she wondered why he looked so amused when she was so worried about the wellbeing of her friend.

"Then why are we here and are you sure it's alright for me to be here? I'm the wife of a wanted man and there was even a bounty on my head for the suspected murder of my brother."

Kyoshiro cringed and she shot him an apologetic glance while she waited for an answer to the dilemma before her. The bounty huntress was desperate to see her old friend but unwilling to risk being thrown into jail or worse. She had a husband to see and a son to save and no one was going to get in the way of that if she had anything to say about it. The gates of the castle were opened wide and she felt as if she were looking into the maw of a beast that was waiting to devour her.

"It's all been taken care of. No one is hunting you and Kyo right now. Tora has seen to that."

She was really confused now and she took an unconscious step back, unsure of how to take his explanation. There was no way the Red Tiger had that sort of power, was it?

Something about her expression must have tipped Sasuke off that she was starting to get scared and that his private joke was going on far too long because he sighed and gently took her hand in his as he said, "It's all right, Nee-San. Tora gave me permission to tell you his secret in case you had to come here again and got worried."

"His secret? What secret? Is he some sort of court official?"

Yuya laughed at the ridiculousness of the idea but Sasuke's expression didn't change as he replied, "Not far from that. You know how I said his dad gives me plenty of chances to fight?"

She nodded and he continued, "Well, that's just it. He leads an elite group of ninja...as well as this country."

The young woman continued to nod for a second or two once he was done speaking and then the pieces fell into place all at once and her jaw dropped as she exclaimed, "Wait a minute. That means his father is the...?!"

The silver-haired teen nodded.

"Then that means Tora-San is the son of the Shogun?!"

"Yes, he is Tokugawa Hidetada. The current heir to the shogunate."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I made this chapter a bit longer to avoid having to take time from Kyo in the next one plot. I always thought it would have been nice if Kamijyo-Sensei showed how Yuya knew Benitora's true identity in another way besides hinting at it in the bonus chapter. I know this one was a bit slower but there will be more action in the next chapter and Kyo arrives in Edo. Can't say much more other than that he and his lady love should be meeting again within the next two chapters and Bon and Akira will show up soon enough. I finally brought in more of Tokito as I always wondered what would happen if she actually got to meet Muramasa and I like her and Akira as a couple.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think. Please don't mind the typos, I've got to re-read parts of this chapter anyways.

P.S. While I do think Akari has a very small crush on Yuya in the manga there is no real Kyo, Yuya, and Akari triangle going on in this fic. All of the guys in SDK are in love with Yuya in one way or the other because she's just that awesome. =)


	15. Silly Tiger and Visiting Demons

**Thanks to:** **Juliedoo** (I'll admit that I hated Tokito a lot at first but after her fight with Akira I realized that she really is a child. Akira himself matured throughout SDK and he's a good candidate to help her grow up. I know it's hard to picture Benitora as a politician and your picture of him as Adam Sandler made me laugh because it's so true but I know he has to grow up someday. Still a sweetie though.), **Deby MU** (Yuya is really growing on Akari and I love writing them together. I thought it would be odd to have Benitora maintaining his secret after so many years and there is so much to be done that I couldn't keep his position a secret any longer. I hope to have Kyo see Yuya again in either this chapter or the next but we'll see how it goes.), **lmamc** (Yup, Yuya has the hook-up), **Rinfantasy** (No, Muramasa has no idea that Tokito believes she is his daughter. As always, Akari and Yuya make a fun pair and don't worry about Benitora. All will be well.), **Titania** (No worries, Kyo makes an appearance here. I'm super happy you are enjoying and plan to stick with this fic. I'm going to try to have them meet up here but I'll see how it pans out.), **magicalnana** (With regards to Aiko, you'll see what happens. She might be in a little trouble but all will be well in the end even if she is kidnapped. I've been looking forward to reuniting our lovebirds for all of forever.), **kyoandyuya** (Tokito won't ruin everything but I can't say more without spoilers. One reunion, coming up soon. And of course you can borrow Ryu, everyone needs a Mini-Kyo in their life.), **tkramb** (Oh my, I don't really have the words to tell you how much I appreciate the time you took out to write such a kind review and how happy I am that you still remembered my story even after years of waiting. Don't worry that it's long because that means that you really took the time to let me know what you think and I love hearing from my readers. It is high praise indeed that you feel the characters are true to the original story of SDK because that is a really big deal for me. Glad you also like Sasuke and it's funny you mentioned his little crush on Yuya because I reference it a bit in this chapter. I'm also looking forward to reuniting Kyo and Yuya and it's going to happen very soon. Thank you again for your kind words and I guess this counts as a long answer to a long review. Makes us even, doesn't it? ^_^)

 **Authors note** : Yay romance!

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

 **Silly Tiger and Visiting Demons**

Yuya was still apprehensive about entering the Shogun's residence and hovered close to Akari and Kyoshiro as she looked about, staring suspiciously at the soldiers who watched them with alert eyes. She thought they probably made a strange sight. Her with her unusual coloring, Akari who was flamboyant in both looks and mannerisms, and Kyoshiro who looked like a simple peasant but carried an extremely fine blade. It might not have had a personality of its own like Tenryo or Shibien but even Muramasa's "normal" swords were works of art.

Speaking of swords, she glanced at the weapon strapped to Sasuke's back and asked, "By the way, how has Shibien been treating you, Sasuke-Kun?"

He flicked a golden glance back at her and said, "It's been good but," and his gaze shifted to Kyoshiro, "it's been restless ever since I saw you. You two have a lot of history."

The former assassin sighed and replied, "We do. Shibien is an incredible sword but I already closed that chapter of my life. I'm done with years of endless killing. I can still hear that blade's voice even now but I am no longer its master."

Sasuke nodded and looked forward once more as he said, "Shibien is amazing. It also tells me that you are a very strong fighter. Perhaps you'll spar with me sometime?"

Something about the way he spoke made Yuya think that, no matter how innocent a battle between her two friends might start off, it would quickly escalate into a real brawl. The young shinobi might have gotten older and tolerated the presence of other people more but he hadn't lost the air of wildness that was a hallmark of his Aokigahara roots. Even after four years, he still reminded her of a younger Kyo.

As they made it across the courtyard and into the building, she saw more women dressed in their finery scattered amongst the servants – she assumed that they were the wives, daughters, and concubines of the Shogun and other nobility – and noted that a number of them took more than a passing interest in Sasuke. More than one look was openly admiring and she had to admit that some of the females rivaled the likes of Okuni and Akari in beauty.

After seeing envious looks directed at the shaman and - to a lesser degree - herself, she reached up to tap her young friend on his shoulder and asked, "I'm seeing a lot of eyes on you from the female population. Do you have anyone special, yet?"

The teenager's step hitched for a split-second and he didn't turn around but she could see the backs of his ears redden a bit as he replied neutrally, "Not really. I've been focusing on getting stronger."

"Is that so? I thought for sure you would have a girlfriend by now. You certainly have the looks to get anyone you wanted."

They stopped in front of a door and he flicked a glance back at her before replying irritably, "You say that like I don't have a lech for a master, Nee-San. I know hundreds of ways to pick up a whore, courtesy of Yukimura, and no idea what to do with normal women."

Alright, so maybe Sasuke wasn't exactly the same. She couldn't remember him ever talking openly about any of his weaknesses or betraying real frustration as a boy.

 _'Well, sixteen can be an awkward age,'_ she reminded herself, recalling some of her not-so-sterling moments.

Sometimes she wondered how Kyo could have looked past her silliness and picked her as a wife and then she remembered that he was pretty darn childish himself most times and that made her feel a bit better. Still, she would have given anything to have her emotionally awkward husband back and she sighed as she wondered if Kyo would really show up as promised. It was so hard to put her faith in a dream but her heart ached and she would take whatever reassurance she could get at this point.

Looking at Sasuke, she felt a surge of pity for him and the trials that came with his age and, without really thinking, reached up to give his head a pat as she said soothingly, "I'm sorry for being such a busybody, Sasuke-Kun. I just enjoy the thought of my friends finding their other halves and I always thought you were wonderful for being so strong at such a young age."

The ninja stopped at the first touch of her hand to his hair and turned around to stare at her once she was done speaking before reaching up to pull it away. She felt the small sting of rejection even as he held her appendage just a moment too long before saying softly, "I am not a child, Nee-Chan. And I wouldn't necessarily get along with regular women. They aren't you."

His eyes were intent upon her and she could only stare at him in confusion as he strode off again, not bothering to wait for them this time.

"Hmm, methinks there is a secret there," Akari murmured, staring after Sasuke with a look of interest on his face.

"Well, he's always been the mysterious sort. Maybe I just caught him at a bad time," Yuya said, chalking his behavior up to growing-pains and moving to follow her friend.

The shaman sighed noisily and said in a loud whisper to Kyoshiro, "Seriously, she is soooo slow. Whatever, next time her little friend gets hurt I'll get it out of him. After all, Akari-Tan works in mysterious ways."

Since Yuya didn't have the faintest idea what Akari was talking about, she ignored the comment and continued on, hoping that she hadn't offended Sasuke too badly by treating him like a kid. As they passed through the castle, the ninja's steps gradually slowed until he came to a stop in front of an ornate store and slid it open without knocking.

Poking his head in briefly, he pulled it out with a frown and muttered something which sounded like "that idiot" before looking down one direction of the corridor and then the opposite.

"Where's Tora-San?" Yuya asked, hoping that her friend was alright and that he wasn't in trouble for inviting their little group to the Shogun's castle.

"Probably ran off to change his clothes. He still gets all weird at the thought of you seeing him as nobility instead of as Benitora," Sasuke said just as a nearby door opened to let out a finely-dressed woman that Yuya recognized immediately.

She immediately groped for her gun and held it at the ready as the woman turned this way and that with an annoyed look on her pretty face, frantically searching for something or someone. There was no mistaking the wildly curling mane of black hair gracing the top of her head and the bounty huntress tensed up as she glided over to them with enviable grace and asked Sasuke, "Have you seen him, Sasuke-San? I took my eyes off of him for just a second and he was gone. Can you believe he actually fooled me with that horrid doll of his?"

The woman huffed and folded her arms across her ample bosom as she looked over the group of people following the young man, stopping and staring when her eyes alighted on Yuya.

"Oh," she said, before a flush spread across her cheeks and she offered the young woman a bow that took her aback.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I mean Kumo told me that he was following friends of the young master's for a while before returning here but I wasn't expecting you, Yuya-San."

Rising from her bow, she offered Yuya an apologetic smile as she said, "I'm afraid we got off on the wrong foot last time. I introduced myself as Sakura originally but my real name is..."

"Mahiro," Yuya finished for her, and those doe-brown eyes widened in surprise before narrowing on the weapon in the bounty huntress' hand.

"I see Kyo told you about me," she said with a bit of an edge in her voice.

"Considering what you tried to do to him last time and the history the two of you have together, should you really be surprised?"

"No, I suppose not. Still, I can't believe you actually got into a true relationship with Kyo. Don't you know that he's notorious for using women and throwing them away?"

There was an edge of bitterness to her voice and the light switched on for Yuya in an instant, the woman in front of her had loved Kyo at some point until the tragedy with Mayumi. Muramasa had told her the details of his wife's murder and she felt a twinge of pity for the other woman.

"I can't speak to his past, Mahiro-San," she said as kindly as she could manage, unwilling to get into a fight over a prior dispute, "but the man I married gave no indication that I meant nothing to him."

Mahiro's jaw dropped as she said, "The man you married? But Kyo never had any interest in that. He told me himself when I asked him why he never settled down."

Her surprise was genuine and Yuya wondered at it until Sasuke leaned close and said, "Your marriage is known to the Tiger and the Shogun for legal purposes – in fact, Kyo specifically asked him to witness your marriage for that reason. Benitora didn't want it to be common knowledge to protect the two of you."

The young woman wasn't sure if she should be happy at Kyo's foresight or annoyed that he had known Benitora's true identity and hadn't told her. Either way, she wasn't interested in conversing too deeply about Kyo with Mahiro since there was clearly some bad blood left between the two and so she turned the conversation back to the original subject.

"Are you looking for Beni-, I mean, Hidetada-Sama?" she asked and the woman nodded, pulling herself back from whatever path her mind had taken.

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea where he could be?"

Mahiro ran a frustrated hand through her wild hair and said, "He could be anywhere. He almost never picks the same hiding place."

Yuya wondered if Benitora had grown up at all if he was hiding from his own servants. A part of her had been afraid that he'd be so different that she wouldn't know how to act but the current situation gave her a promising idea of what to expect. Apparently, her dear friend wasn't too different from what she'd come to know and love.

"I might know where he is," Sasuke said with a thoughtful look before walking off without elaborating.

The group followed him from the corridor through yet another door and watched as he made his way slowly down the hallway they found themselves in, running his hand down the wall until he reach a hanging of a snarling red tiger. Lifting the painting, he knocked on the wood twice in rapid succession and, with a creak, the panel swung outward and a disheveled Benitora fell out head-over-heels.

His legs paddled in the air for a moment and she noticed that he had donned the short black pants and wooden geta he'd worn before when they were traveling together. His torso was mostly bare, with one arm haphazardly shoved into his shirt, but his tattoos were still intact and his hair was in a disheveled top-knot. As he stared at the group from between his legs, a blush spread across his cheeks from being caught red-handed and his mouth opened and closed a few times before his gaze moved to Yuya.

"Ah, well...it's nice to see you again, Yuya-Han," he said as he gave her a boyish grin and Yuya couldn't help herself.

She took one look at her old friend and burst into laughter.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Five days after leaving the Mibu and – unbeknownst to him – two days after Yuya arrived with her friends and relocated from the inn to the Shogun's castle, Kyo reached Edo at night and made his way through the city to his destination. He wanted to take his time and check things out – see the lay of the land - but his feet picked up speed the moment he saw the giant building rising above the rest of the dwellings and shops, highlighted by the myriads of lamps and torches from the city and lining it's perimeter. The smart thing to do would have been to watch and wait until the next morning or afternoon but he wasn't in the mood to exercise caution.

Instead, what he wanted more than anything was to put an end to the haunting image of the woman who was there every waking and sleeping moment. Ever since his fight with Shinrei, he saw her before him. She was there when he traveled, walking in front of him but hovering just out of reach. She was there when he sat down to rest and eat, sitting across from him and smiling as she told him how much she missed him. She was there when he slept, whispering to him how much she loved him as she cradled his head to her bosom and wrapped her legs around him. His days were spent chasing after her and his nights were spent screwing her senseless until he woke up sweaty and longing for a soft touch and succulent lips. Needless to say, he was ready to bring the whole thing to its finish.

This Yuya was starting to drive him a little mad and he couldn't decide if it was the sword or his own desires that kept him captive to her. He wanted to hate her for teasing him with a lifetime's worth of want and memories of her pain and torture at the hands of Fubuki and the rest. But instead, he could only feel the need to touch her to make sure she was real and his. To see if she was alright because his mind kept dredging up her torment and setting it before him like an accusation. He kept reaching for his past and it felt like he'd done all of this before and that his life was on repeat.

So it was that he moved through the city, ignoring the stares of people who caught a glimpse of his eyes and his long sword and the bold invitations of whores who wanted him because of his looks, his fine kimono, and the air of danger that clung to him. The veil of night gave his confident movements the appearance of an animal on the hunt - which wasn't far from the truth – and it tended to have a certain effect on the opposite sex. Only briefly did it occurred to him that he was a wanted man and that he might very well be walking into a fight but it was hardly a deterrent – he'd welcome a diversion from the thoughts of his blonde-haired temptress.

By the time he reached the closed gate leading to the residence of the most powerful man in Nippon, there were more than a few soldiers gathered at the gate, pointing at him and gesturing amongst themselves because word of him had spread that quickly. He waited a few minutes to see what they would do and wondered if they were scared to approach him because of the reputation from Sekigahara that had earned him a million ryo bounty.

It was such a clear memory, that fight, and yet there were others in between that were muddled and he had spent the past few days being alternately fascinated and upset at the number of things he was sure he'd forgotten. That was another thing he hoped to achieve when, not if, he met Yuya – the return of his past. The Mibu had done a number on him and he looked forward to the day he was able to figure out what was real and what had been implanted into his head.

However, nothing was going to get done as long as Tokugawa's men hung around and chattered amongst themselves while they tried to figure out what to do when a wanted man came knocking at their door.

Therefore, he smirked and brought Tenryo down until the end of his sheath was resting on the ground as he asked, "Who here can take me to the Shogun? I have something I need to say to him."

That got their attention and they finally organized themselves into formation as a man with a short beard - presumably a captain of some sort - stepped forward and, drawing his sword asked, "Are you Demon Eyes Kyo?"

"No, I'm Susanoo come to deliver booze to him," he replied sarcastically and the man's face tightened in annoyance.

"I am under orders to confirm your identity and report to the young master," the leader said, "So I ask you again, and please answer without stalling, are you in fact Demon Eyes Kyo?"

Kyo blew out an annoyed gust of air at answering the obvious and said, "Yeah, I'm him."

The other man stared at him for a while before nodding and saying, "I am authorized to allow you entry by order of the young master, however, by order of the Shogun, you are to be escorted to the dungeon until such time as he is sure you do not present a threat. If you wish to enter peacefully, those are the terms."

The Thousand Killer narrowed his eyes at the requirements and the men on either side of the captain reached for their swords, having either heard of or seen for themselves what he was capable of. Their leader stood his ground without breaking eye-contact and Kyo grinned, the man had courage. It amused him enough to play along and nod his acceptance of their offer. He didn't trouble himself about them of course, since they presented neither threat nor challenge, but it was fun to watch them scramble to surround him as he strode forward, slinging his sword over his shoulder.

Even if he was always up for a fight, he had a feeling that killing the Shogun's men now wasn't going to get him what he wanted, which was an audience with the man himself. Though he didn't really care about the warning he was supposed to convey to the noble, he had a vested interest in seeing the woman he was supposed to meet here and, for whatever reason, he needed to connect with the country's ruler or someone in his family to make it happen. At the end of the day, his goal was Yuya and figuring out who or what she was to him and how to get himself back to where he was supposed to be.

As they entered the castle, one of the men approached him nervously and said, "I'll need to confiscate your sword."

Kyo looked the man in the eye and replied seriously, "Only if I can confiscate your head."

The soldier pinched his lips together and backed off.

The rest of the trip went on in silence, with them jumping at shadows as if he were some mythological monster come to devour them and him not-so-silently laughing at the lot of them. Part of him wanted someone to get stupid and step to him just to show them how pitiful their preparations were and how asinine it was for their ruler to think that simple bars could hold him. However, no one took him up on his silent challenge, even though the air was thick with hostility towards him, and he exercised the self-control needed to keep from taunting them.

Eventually, they made it to the dungeon and he sauntered into the cell they indicated to him like he didn't have a care in the world, turned to face them as they closed the door, and asked, "So, when is his high-and-mightyness going to show up?"

Apparently, having him behind bars made them bold because the same man who had shakily asked him to turn over his sword found his balls and replied nastily, "That's for him to decide, demon. I was at Sekigahara when you wiped out a good chunk of my friends and as far as a lot of us are concerned, you can rot here for the rest of your days. We'll tell him when we're good and ready."

He opened his mouth to laugh at being able to taunt the infamous Thousand Killer and some of the other soldiers were about to join in when he choked it off abruptly. It wasn't that his vocal cords weren't working at the moment, it was that the very tip of Tenryo was dangerously close to slicing his tongue in half. No one had seen Kyo draw his sword and move. One moment he was looking at them with those uncanny red eyes and the next his blade was out, between the bars, and silencing his detractor. The speed, control, and strength needed to wield such a long blade with so much precision and through such a small hole without splitting the man's head was obvious and a fearful silence fell over the men.

"What was that again?" Kyo said, tapping his left ear with his free-hand as if he were hard of hearing.

"Did you need me to cut that smart tongue out since it apparently doesn't do you much good?" he tilted the sword ever-so-slightly and the man's eyes grew wide as he made a strangled sound and shook his head minutely, trying to avoid cutting himself.

"Tell you what, run along like a good boy and tell your boss I'm here and, _maybe_ , I won't kill you for the fun of it when I get out of here, hmm," he was only half-bluffing.

Kyo didn't really care about small fry like the wannabe bully – he was nameless, faceless cannon fodder - but he _was_ serious about killing him if he got in his way. He'd come too close to his goals of both seeing the woman who was messing up his head and putting his life back together. He wasn't about to let that be ruined by an idiot who wanted to avenge the comrades that had fallen fair and square on the battlefield.

Once he was sure that his threat had been sufficiently absorbed into the soldier's thick head and those of his companions, he withdrew his sword and sheathed it slowly. They quickly backed away from his cell and he smirked as they fled the dungeon, leaving only two men stationed on either side of the cell and the captain, who had watched the whole exchange in silence.

The eyes that stared at him were intent as he said quietly, "You could have killed him easily."

"He's not worth the time and you lot have something I want," Kyo said nonchalantly.

"What exactly are you looking for, Demon Eyes Kyo? I've seen you in action at Sekigahara and at the tournament we held here years ago. You don't strike me as the 'come quietly' type."

He didn't remember a tournament but that didn't mean anything and, deciding to humor the man's questions, the Thousand Killer replied, "I'm not and you all came this close," he squeezed thumb and forefinger together tightly, "to dying the moment you decided to draw your swords against me."

"However, I didn't come here to kill a bunch of weaklings. I came to see a woman and hand out a warning."

"And what is this warning? I can pass it on to the Shogun for you."

Kyo snorted and said, "And let you lot try to leave me here to waste away? I think not. Besides, I need to see the woman before I spill the goods."

"That's the second time you've mentioned a woman. Who is she and why do you need to see her."

"The whys are my business but her name is Yuya," Kyo answered, watching the man closely for any indications that the name rang a bell.

"That name is familiar," the man said thoughtfully, "what does she look like?"

"Short, blonde hair, green eyes, and easy to look at."

The captain's eyes lit up in recognition and he said, "I've seen her. She's a guest of the young master. I'm not sure if she's still awake at this time of night, though."

"For some reason, I have a feeling she'll get up to see me," Kyo replied with a grin and the soldier gave him a considering look, as if weighing the pros and cons of doing as he asked, before nodding slowly.

"You didn't kill us all when you had the chance so that does count for something. I can't promise to get the Shogun down here tonight but the young master has a strong interest in you and he appears to be very good friends with your Yuya."

For some reason, the thought of another man being close with his dream woman didn't sit well with him and he wondered what kind of screwed-up he had to be to feel jealousy over two people he didn't even remember. Shaking the strange thoughts away, he looked the captain in the eye and said, "Get them down here as soon as you can."

The man nodded and left to pass on his message while Kyo seated himself on the lone pallet in the cell and decided to doze for a bit. He didn't really expect anyone to show up that night and so he tried his best to relax but, naturally, _she_ intruded once more.

 _"Try no to be a brat when you see me,"_ a voice said and he opened his eyes to see his imaginary Yuya lounging there on her stomach, naked as per the norm.

Her timing, as usual, was random and horrible and she smiled at him as if reading his thoughts - which she _could_ do since she was in his head.

 _"You'll get so much further with me if you don't freak out at what I tell you."_

He frowned. There wasn't a single truth he could think of that would scare him. And why was she naked half the times he saw her?

 _"Because you are such a perv and because it's your favorite image of me. You certainly liked what you saw on our wedding night and the days after."_

He was pretty sure that his heart skipped a beat as he registered what she said. Wedding night? What a weird thing to say since he and the idea of marriage weren't exactly compatible. Surely this was Tenryo messing around with him and trying to get a rise out of him again.

His apparition's hands flew to her mouth as if she'd uttered something naughty and she said with mock consternation, _"Uh oh, looks like I spilled it. Oh well, it's too late to back out now."_

She laughed and then he was by himself again and brooding over her words as he looked around the cell and realized that he might have just been neatly trapped by an illusion. This was the first time he'd heard anything about marriage and he was starting to feel as if he'd been manipulated yet again. He didn't believe for one second that he'd actually followed in the footsteps of those sad men who gave up scores of women in exchange for just one who would run his life. If even a whisper of having a wife had crossed his hearing before, he'd have killed the person who said it and gone in the opposite direction from the accursed female in question.

 _'Is that why I had to do things this way?'_ he asked himself as he felt the first stirrings of anger.

He was here in the Shogun's dungeon and his demands had been stated and were in the process of being transmitted to the relevant parties. To say he was not committed to his course was an understatement. "In the thick of it" would have been a better description. Crossing his arms, he stewed over his situation, only to perk up when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching after a while.

Whoever the person was, he stopped in front of Kyo's cell and was staring at him for a while before the Thousand Killer deigned to lift his head and acknowledge his presence. He was expecting a young man – presumably the "young master" - or the woman he was starting to regret seeking out. Instead he was faced with a middle-aged man with sharp eyes, long black hair, and a beard who was dressed in modest clothing.

Kyo stared at his visitor and asked, "What do you want?"

"Nothing much, just curious about the infamous Thousand Killer," the man replied.

Annoyed at being treated like a curiosity, the living legend said, "There's nothing to see here. I just came to meet a woman and deliver a message. If you aren't her or the Shogun yourself, don't waste my time."

The man stared at him with a shrewd gaze that instantly got his back up and, stroking his beard, said, "You aren't very respectful for a man who wants something."

"Respect is earned and I don't give it lightly. Me being this cell in the first place is my version of nice. If it wasn't important, I wouldn't have bothered to play by any rules but my own."

"You sound confident, like you're in there by choice instead of truly imprisoned. One has to wonder what sort of woman is so important to _you_ ," the way he emphasized "you" made him uncomfortable, "that you'd pay a visit to the most powerful man in the country."

Kyo didn't care for the line of questioning and the insinuation his voice. The man was looking for something but he had no idea what it was and, on the heels of imaginary Yuya's uncomfortable hints about matrimony, he was strongly considering breaking out and saying screw the consequences.

His intentions must had shown up on his face because the man's dark gaze lit up and he muttered a quiet, "How interesting."

The Thousand Killer wasn't in the mood for cryptic strangers and was about to open his mouth and tell the man exactly where he could go when the sound of two sets of footsteps reached his ears and he stood up. One set was the heavy tread of a male and the other...was female, light and measured.

Kyo turned his head in the direction of the incoming visitors and tensed up, watching the odd man out of the corner of his eyes as he waited to see if the female was the one he sought. There were so many thoughts and emotions swirling through his head. What would she think of him? Was she waiting for him the past four years? Were her proclamations of love the truth? Why had the Mibu been able to use her against him? What did she know about him? Did they truly have a deeper relationship outside of the bedroom? He was still disturbed at that last thought and determined to disprove it.

Following right behind the myriad of question were feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. With each delicate step that sounded, there was something new gripping him. Anger at the thought of being trapped. Unexplainable sadness. Excitement at finally meeting her. Lust at the thought of touching her. A small hint of worry that she would let him down as most things in life did. And one more – the same one he always felt but could never identify. Whatever it was, it made his heart pound and his throat tighten and he hated it.

Hence, he settled for anger, determined to seize back a measure of control over his life and make sure his visitor understood from the outset that he bowed for no one, that she couldn't possibly be anyone special. Was he being contrary? Of course he was. But he understood anger and it was safer than years worth of longing and strange feelings that made him want to do something stupid – like ask if she were real and truly his, not just a fruitless mirage.

Unfortunately, it was one thing to plan out a reaction and another thing entirely to stick with it the moment _she_ entered into sight. He thought for sure that she would come in and start asking questions about why he was there or demand to know what he'd done over the past few years. He'd have welcomed it as fuel for his fire.

Instead, what he saw was a young woman who hovered between pretty and beautiful – more the former because his standards were quite high. Her appearance was rumpled and she had obviously thrown a kimono on over her sleeping clothes before running quick fingers through her golden hair. She was yawning as she came into view and rubbed at her eyes tiredly as she asked the man who had accompanied her, "What is so important that you had to drag me out of bed, Tora-San?"

Disappointment gnawed at the Thousand Killer. The woman in front of him was hardly a temptress come to seduce him. Instead, by all appearances she was just a normal human who had been called away from her dreams – and probably not of the sexual variety, he thought resentfully – to see a strange man in a cell. In a word, his first impression was that she was ordinary.

Kyo felt as if he'd just had a long build up to nothing and dismay became annoyance before his ire came back in full force. What a crock. Had all of the pain and longing he'd gone through been useless? Had he really been chasing the bedraggled female in front of him? The thought of spending his energy on a hopeless endeavor made him want to kill something and his aura rose accordingly, causing all of the men outside of the cell to tense up, grope for their weapons, and stare at him. He was seconds away from drawing Tenryo and freeing himself when she finally turned her sleepy gaze upon him and, in direct contrast to the warriors around her, did the unexpected.

Perhaps the woman couldn't sense the danger or had no sense of self-preservation, but he saw recognition on her face the moment she caught sight of him and her lips spread into a fond smile. Instead of fear, her green eyes lit up with shock which melded into joy and a thousand emotions in-between before settling into an intense look that he'd only ever seen in his brief memories of her. His breath caught as he was slowly drawn in and imprisoned by those changeable green eyes and, for the first time in his life, his hands shook to the point that he almost dropped his sword.

Had he honestly tried to dismiss her as unremarkable just now? With just a glance, she picked him apart and put him back together and her stare was almost a physical caress as it reached inside of him and poured out his misery, replacing it with her vibrant warmth.

Not once had he ever been held prisoner to a mere gaze but those emerald irises pinned him with the same inevitable weight as gravity. To look at her, to want her, to crave her was as natural a law as breathing or the very forces that held the universe together. He knew the exact moment that her companions ceased to exist for her as she drifted forward until her face was hovering over the bars and her small fingers were curled around them.

For an insane moment, Kyo wanted to lick those pretty digits, suck them into his mouth so he could see the changes wrought in that hypnotic gaze and, at the same time, offer her a promise of things to come. A part of him hadn't truly believed that it was possible to yearn for someone so much outside of a dream but, looking at her now, he felt as if the impossible was hiding between one breath and the next, waiting for him for make it happen.

The man he was, wanted to touch her to make sure she was real and ask her all of the questions he'd been saving up for their first meeting before testing his desire against hers.

The demon he was, wanted to skip the formalities, cut apart the bars keeping him from this woman, and yank her inside. Wanted to push her up against the wall and ravish her, mark her, and possess her regardless of who was there to witness it.

He saw an answering need in her gaze and smiled at her, baring his sharp canines to give her a glimpse of the monster that lurked inside him, as if to warn her away even though he knew she wouldn't run from him. She did not fear him, of that he was certain.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and as she opened her mouth, he wished he could follow that pink appendage with his own and taste her at last. Fantasies were fine but the reality was far more tempting and he could think of any number of things to do with her and that sultry opening.

His entire body was suspended by expectation as he waited for her to speak and there was such an overwhelming wealth of feeling in her voice as she whispered his name at last.

"Kyo."

Doubt, confusion, and regret were burned away as he listened to the way her mouth shaped his appellation and, instead, there was only him, her, and the comforting feeling of coming home.

He'd found her at last, his Yuya.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ah, been waiting forever to come to this point. ^_^ Action, adventure, and drama are all fine and good but romance is still my fave. I really hope I didn't disappoint and thanks so much for reading. Please let me know what you think and I can't wait to write more. Kyo/Yuya forevah! XD

Also, in case you were wondering, Kyo doesn't completely remember everything, but his deep feelings for Yuya are a start. And Sasuke did sort of like Yuya in the manga as hinted about by Akari. ;-)


	16. Fighting Fate and Loose Lips

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Sorry for the cliffie. More romance coming up soon, though.), **Rinfantasy** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and Kyo's attitude.), **Juliedoo** (Thanks. I've always thought that since Yuya isn't as glamorous as the other women in Kyo, she makes up for it with sheer personality and lovableness. How could Kyo not love her and how could she not rock his world? Sasuke's crush on Yuya in the manga was cute, if subtle, and I'm glad you liked the scene with Tora. Benitora was always so adorable.), **M'lady91** (I know it sucks to have ended it there but more Kyo/Yuya goodness coming up.), **kyoandyuya** (Been waiting forever for Kyo to see his wife again. ^_^ I'm still working out the details for Hotaru since this is such a huge rework of the main SDK story), **magicalnana** (Hope I don't disappoint and glad you enjoyed their first meeting after so long), **Deby MU** (There is a little more Kyo/Yuya in this chapter, though a lot of it is tying up a few loose ends, I'll try not to skimp on it when you all have been waiting so long to see them together again. Also, halves is the plural form of half. Half = 1 and halves = 2.), **tkramb** (I'm happy you enjoyed the last chapter. I was fangirling myself because writing about Kyo and Yuya just makes my day and I've been dying to get them together again. I went back and looked at the bonus chapter and you are absolutely right, Sasuke has such a fond look on his face, so cute! Anyways, a little more romance and some little angst down below. Enjoy!), **midori318** (Kyo can't resist his Yuya ;-P), **Titania** (Don't worry, they'll get their time together. Kyo can only hold out for so long), and **Azure Shine**

 **Author's note:** A little bit of drama here to tie up loose ends but more romance incoming in the next chapter

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

 **Fighting Fate and Loose Lips**

Ieyasu Tokugawa wasn't sure what to make of the pair in front of him.

He was not the sentimental type - it was something he simply could not afford in his position - which was why he had only given in to his son's request a few years prior, to stop hunting down Demon Eyes Kyo on the condition that the outlaw be imprisoned at first. There was still a bounty on the warrior but it required him to be captured alive instead of either-or, as it had been prior. Having seen Kyo in action at Sekigahara, the Shogun had been disbelieving of Hidetada's account of love and sacrifice on the part of the man he firmly believed to be a demon.

The memory of the Thousand Killer's graceful brutality was indelibly etched into his mind and he simply couldn't wrap his head around the idea of the evil Demon Eyes Kyo loving anything but his sword and battle. When his men came to him and shakily informed him that Kyo was there and "safely" behind bars, he hadn't been able to resist donning the guise of "Hattori Hanzo" once more - exchanging his fine clothes for simpler garb - and paying his "guest" a visit.

Throughout his exchange with the man, prior to his son's arrival with Kyo's spouse, he searched for any sign of truth to Hidetada's wild tale and came up empty. The Thousand Killer was still arrogant, abrasive, and gave no indication that he and respect were even passing acquaintances. Instead, those bizarre red eyes seemed to examine everyone and find them lacking and it made his warrior's blood boil. The man was provocative without even trying and he wondered how the young woman staying in his castle - who, to all accounts, was known to be kind, gentle, and polite - could have tamed such a beast.

He had his answer the instant Hidetada brought her down and the two locked eyes. One moment Kyo was swimming in bloodlust and killing intent and, in the next, that crimson gaze was filled with a wholly different type of lust. If he wasn't already such a worldly man himself, he might have blushed at the way Kyo and Yuya shut everything else out to focus on each other.

It was the craziest thing to be the ruler of a country in his own castle and yet, to feel as if he were intruding on their moment. There were so many emotions that passed unspoken between the two before the young woman softly murmured the outlaw's name in a voice that was filled with longing.

Another second passed and then the female was directing her emerald eyes towards him and he was taken aback by the pleading look he saw there as she asked, "Can he come out?"

The two of them hadn't met face to face – purposefully on his part since she was the wife of a man he considered extremely dangerous - and so she had no idea who he was but Hidetada quickly rectified that by tugging her to the side and hastily whispering into her ear. A near imperceptible growl sounded and he glanced at the Thousand Killer, who was glaring daggers at the hand his son had placed on Yuya's arm. Ieyasu frowned, hoping his offspring realized that he was treading on thin ice with his so-called friend.

Once Hidetada finished filling her in on the fact that she had just casually addressed the Shogun himself, those unusual eyes widened and her cheeks pinked before she looked at him again and offered a deep but shy bow.

"Forgive me, my lord, I didn't mean to be disrespectful," she said and he stroked his beard as he looked at her.

 _'What a striking contrast between husband and wife,'_ he thought to himself.

The two truly were opposites. She had good manners while her mate was unruly. Humble while Kyo was conceited. In the old days, he would have been perfectly alright with using a wife against her husband but he didn't think that Kyo would wait patiently for release from imprisonment if he thought the Shogun was going to keep him from his woman. And to be honest, he believed Kyo when the other man implied that he was in that cell only because he was being cooperative, not because they could truly hold him if he didn't want to be there.

It was a delicate situation and he opted to step back this time and allow his son to solve it by asking, "What do you think, Hidetada?"

The young man gave a start and stared at him for a long moment before looking from Kyo to Yuya and saying, "I think that Yuya-Han has spent enough time apart from her husband and I also believe that Kyo-Han is only here because he wants to. I know his power well, Pops."

Ieyasu internally cringed at his child's informal address but nodded to the men guarding the cell nonetheless, deciding to trust his son's judgment...for now.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Time stopped for Yuya the minute she laid eyes on Kyo and she wanted to freeze the image in front of her, lock it up, and save it in her heart for the rest of her days.

For four years, she'd waited to see him again and it felt as if she were in a waking dream because surely he wasn't standing there, staring at her with that compelling ruby gaze and looking as if he'd consume her in an instant if given a chance. Everything - from the dreariness of the dungeon, to the guards in front of the gate, to the bearded-man watching her closely, and even her beloved friend Benitora – was washed away from her sphere of attention as she looked into her husband's eyes and tried to figure out what to think.

When Tora raised her from a sound sleep with the statement that he had something of vital importance to show her, she hadn't thought much of it – her sleep-muddled mind too foggy to come up with ideas. For some reason, she had believed it would take longer for her husband to show up, if he came at all, and thus was completely unprepared for the sight that awaited her in the Shogun's jail.

Kyo was just as handsome as she remembered. He was still as tall, still as intense, still as arrogant...and still as desirable as she remembered, too. While everyone around her was worrying over whether he would attack or not, she was thinking of how happy she was to see him and how much she adored the sight of him in good health. There was no measurement for how much she loved the man behind those bars and how much she wanted him.

He wanted her too, she could see it in his eyes. That intent stare that told her without words how much he desired her, as if no other woman existed in the world but her – a hunger that only she could satisfy. With her body warming beneath that gaze and her mouth tingling to kiss that wickedly grinning mouth, she wondered what she could say to him.

I missed you, Kyo. I was lonely, Kyo. It hasn't been the same without you, Kyo. Please stay forever, Kyo. I love you, Kyo. I love you, Kyo. I love you, Kyo.

That last sentence was repeated with each beat of her heart, pumping enough courage through her veins to let her open her mouth at last and pierce the silence with the sound of his name.

The moment he heard "Kyo" from her lips, his eyes changed and she felt as if a lifetime of emotions were passed between them. He might not completely remember her – she was well aware that the Mibu plot involved stealing his memory from him yet again – but their connection to each other was still intact, of that she was certain. Now she only needed the time and privacy to remind him of what they meant to each other.

It was with that in mind that she turned to the man she believed to be the main jailer and asked for her husband's release only to have Tora pull her away and expound to her that the man she had asked such a "small" favor from was no other than his father, the Shogun. Wife to Kyo or not, years of breeding had her bowing and apologizing for her error while her ruler silently appraised her and left matters in the Red Tiger's hands.

The first indication she had that things weren't going to go smoothly was the change that came over Kyo's face the moment Benitora referred to him as her husband. Whatever spell she'd cast over him was quickly swept away by a look of distaste and her heart was seized by worry as his eyes went from lustful to mutinous.

 _'That doesn't bode well,'_ she thought.

Wherever he was as a person right now, it was before he figured out that commitment wouldn't make him weak. Considering how long it took him to progress past that point the last time, she wasn't looking forward to starting from square-one. Sighing, she stepped back as the door to the cell was opened and Kyo strode out with his sword slung over his shoulder.

Deciding to test the waters a bit, she reached out to place a hand on his arm and flinched when he smoothly avoided her touch and inclined his head towards Benitora as he said, "Show me where I'm supposed to sleep."

Tora frowned and Yuya silently congratulated him as he replied, "I thought for sure you'd stay with Yuya-Han."

Her husband paused and turned his gaze back towards her and she offered him a hopeful smile, awarding herself a pat on the back for managing to maintain it when he gave a derisive snort and said, "I barely remember her."

The moment his back was turned again, Yuya's expression wobbled and she found herself fighting a strong urge to cry. She had been so overcome with ecstasy at having him back that it hadn't occurred to her that his attraction might not translate into acceptance of being her spouse. To the old Kyo, desire and matrimony were two different things and never the twain should meet. The more she thought about the massive task before her, the sadder she became.

Her hands clenched at her sides as she tried to decide if she was disappointed that he could revert to his previous self so quickly after he'd obviously wanted her on sight or if vexation was a more appropriate response. In addition to all of the things she liked about him, the annoying bits were still there too, including his hardheadedness, and she narrowed her eyes at his back.

Yes, anger was better for now. It gave her the strength to push back her hurt and fight for what was hers. She had to be patient and put things in perspective because she'd be darned if she let the Mibu permanently ruin her marriage, one of the best things she'd ever had in her life.

Unaware of her change from sorrow to exasperation, Benitora draped a comforting arm over her shoulder and said quietly, "It's alright Yuya-Han. He'll come around eventually. I'll make sure to give him a room close to you."

Looking up at her dear friend, she smiled and said a low, "Thanks, Tora-San."

"Are you going to show me to my room or keep chatting down here all night," Kyo said, bringing their attention back to him.

Yuya was about to say something smart but held her tongue when she noticed that her husband was giving the limb Tora was using to touch her a hard look. Without words, he plainly communicated to the heir that he'd remove it with his sword if her friend didn't reclaim it and soon. The longer it took, the more his annoyance became palpable and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. They all breathed a sigh of relief when the Red Tiger got the message and let her go, stepping forward to take the lead and do as Kyo asked.

Those red eyes lingered on her for half a second and then he was ignoring her again. Yuya stared at her husband before smirking and shaking her head. So her indifferent spouse was trying to push her away but he didn't like other men touching her, did he? She was a bit relieved to know that some things never changed. As usual, Kyo was uneasy about expressing strong emotions but his words and actions were two separate things.

 _'He's still so childish,'_ she thought in amusement.

She hadn't imagined the burning need in his eyes a few minutes ago and she was willing to bet it wasn't gone completely, only buried out of some misguided sense of self-preservation from his "scary wife" and the "terrifying" prospect of being married. Whatever the case, if she couldn't get to him by loving him then she could rest assured that he at least desired her and she was fine with that.

After four years of wanting him, Yuya was content to work with what she had. A faintly predatory smile touched her lips as she followed Benitora to Kyo's room – to make sure she knew where he was – before heading for her own quarters a few doors down. If Kyo wanted to do things the hard way, she was up for the challenge.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

He'd hurt her. Kyo brooded over that fact as he sat on the futon in his room.

He knew the moment her smile went from genuine to pained at hearing his cold words and hated the way it made him feel. Although he disliked the idea that someone might have managed to trap him into marriage – still refusing to believe it was true - he immediately felt remorse at starting in on her already. She'd been so happy to see him and he had needed her so badly. Even while he was distancing himself from her, he'd wanted to kiss her lips until she smiled at him again.

It was a weak and pathetic feeling, his craving for her. Rejecting it should have felt like the right thing to do, but when that nobleman put his arm around her – giving her the comfort she would have sought from him if he hadn't pushed her away – he couldn't stop himself. Fury rose in him until the man got the hint and removed the offending limb. What kind of crazy _was he_ to try and convince himself that Yuya meant nothing and that he couldn't possibly have tied himself to one woman but drive off anyone else who got near. He was being possessive and jealous like he was some sort of...

 _"...Husband,"_ dream Yuya finished for him and he groaned and closed his eyes, wishing she would go away.

 _"And I wish I could go away too instead of having to hang around such an idiot. What part of 'don't be a brat to me' did you not get?"_ she demanded huffily and he opened his eyes to glare at her for insulting him.

She was naked, as usual, and lounging on her side with her head propped up by one arm, but this time a glare had replaced her usual smile and the details that had been out-of-date – such as the fact that the real Yuya was a little older, had longer hair, and a slightly fuller form – were represented.

"I don't have to answer to you," he said, forgetting in his anger that he preferred to avoid replying to her verbally because he didn't need further proof that he was losing his mind.

 _"You say that but you're all upset over being mean to me. Why am I married to such a thick man?"_ she rolled her eyes heavenward.

"I'm not married to anyone," he growled.

 _"I heard you the first time you lied to yourself,"_ she said snippily, _"I still can't believe you had the_ _ **audacity**_ _to reject me after chasing me for so long. Was I missing something when you imagined having your wicked way with me from just a glance?"_

He pressed his lips together and didn't respond because, even now, his body would make a liar out of him if he expressed any sort of denial.

 _"Uh huh, I thought so,"_ she said with an arch look.

 _"I can't believe you turned down all of this,"_ she gestured to her body, _"when it was standing right there in front of you - ready and willing to jump your bones and so hot for you that you could smell it."_

Put in that rather blunt light and considering how determined he'd been to have her before hearing the word "husband", he felt the smallest stirrings of regret. Maybe he'd panicked a bit from the newness of everything - from his riotous emotions to his instant need for a woman he'd only seen in his head to the proclamation that he was someone's mate.

 _"Ah, he's starting to see the light,"_ his hallucination said, _"Since you are selfish enough to crave your freedom,"_ she said the word with a sneer, _"why can't you think of the value of having a woman who is solely and wholly yours? With the level of lust coming off of her, she clearly hadn't seen any action in years. Let's take a stab and say the number is four."_

Kyo stared at her and thought about what her words meant. It hadn't once occurred to him that Yuya might have been waiting for him while he didn't remember a thing about her. If so, she'd probably been doubly hurt by his attitude. He shouldn't care about her feelings, but when he thought about her expression – a sad smile on a face that was incapable of hiding anything - a part of him wondered how often she had worn that look without someone to hold her, to make her feel good. How many years had he gone from woman to woman, enjoying the attention because, in the most secret part of his heart, it allowed him to pretend that someone cared and that he wasn't just the unwanted Demon Child?

Perhaps the idea of him having chosen her as a wife wasn't quite so farfetched.

 _"Oooh, I think someone has had an epiphany. So, what are you going to do about it?"_ dream Yuya cooed.

"I'm going to go to sleep," he said neutrally because there was still thinking to do and he wanted a bath after five days without.

She rolled her eyes and muttered, _"You are such a difficult person, you know that?"_

"You're the one who married me," he replied with a shrug.

The apparition gave him a shrewd look before saying, _"That's right,_ _ **I**_ _married_ _ **you**_ _. So chew on this, I must be some kind of awesome to agree to put up with you for the rest of my life."_

With that bold statement, she licked her tongue out at him and disappeared, leaving him to wonder what sort of woman he was married to – he was grudgingly starting to accept that – and how he could possibly have changed enough to go through with it.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya woke up late the next day. After a long sleepless night, during which she tried to work out how she was going to seduce her husband, she rolled out of her futon and struggled to get her clothes on, yawning widely as she fumbled for her brush.

Her movements were slow and a little clumsy as she tried to get her hair into some semblance of order and she was almost ready to nod off again when the door to her room burst open and Akari stormed in, looking as if he were fit to burst.

She didn't even have time to greet him before he asked in an annoyed tone, "Everyone is talking about it, why didn't you tell me that Kyo was here?"

The bounty huntress blinked and replied, "Because it was the dead of night and after the night I had, I wasn't up to waking everyone and spreading the news."

"How could you be so selfish? You _know_ I've been dying to see Kyo again after such a long time," the shaman said, seething in frustration as Yuya took her sweet time pulling her hair into a ponytail before leaning back on her arms.

"Akari-San," Yuyas said calmly, "as much as I enjoy your company," she kept her sarcasm to a minimum because she truly did like spending time with Akari when he wasn't being pushy, "this really isn't the time. I had a rough night and I have to figure out how to get my husband to do his duty by me."

She left out the part where Kyo's duty involved her, him, and lots of skin-to-skin contact. Knowing the shaman, he'd ask for details just because he was _that_ nosy and because he loved to tease her.

"And what about your duty as my friend?" Akari fussed before pausing and actually looking at her for the first time.

A frown crossed his face and he said, "Y'know, you really do look like you haven't slept."

Yuya blinked tiredly at him and asked, "Does it show on my face?"

"You look like a raccoon," came the direct reply.

The young woman blanched and rubbed at her eyes as she replied, "Well isn't that great. My husband doesn't remember me and runs in terror at the thought of being married. Meanwhile, I look like a raccoon."

She sighed and hid her face in her hands. Knowing what she wanted to do and planning it were two things. The goal was Kyo but she had no idea how to entice him really. Their wedding night had been a "here I'm naked, take me" sort of affair and she had no clue what to do with a Kyo who was closer to how they'd been when she first pulled his unconscious body out of the woods.

The almost-sweet Kyo she knew from before their sojourn to the Mibu clan was buried deep within a man who was back to fighting how he felt for her. It was all fine and good to boldly declare that she would use whatever he was willing to offer her but dwelling on it overnight had only made her more depressed as she realized that she didn't know where to begin. Maybe it was because a part of her was afraid that he would reject her once she laid herself bare both physically and mentally before him.

In her head there had always been a picture of a joyous, romantic reunion between the two of them but, in the light of day, she had to force herself to acknowledge that they'd spent years apart and it wouldn't be nearly so easy to pick up right where they left off. The irrational side of her was terrified that he'd see her as nothing more than a quick fling before moving on and leaving her with one-sided feelings, a broken heart, and lost years of her life. In the solitary darkness of her room the prior night, she'd had to ask herself if the pain she was likely to go through to have Kyo again was worth it. Her answer was still yes but the path to get there wasn't so clear.

"You look like you're thinking something idiotic," Akari said and she peeped out at him from behind her hands.

"I'm not. Just wondering about how Kyo was in the past," she said with a blush because what she really wanted to know was what he liked in a bed partner before he found her. It seemed like the best place to start since Kyo had regressed to that point.

He'd told her once before that everything about her was a turn-on, but that was before he lost his memories. She hadn't realized until it was too late that, at the time, it was his love for her and what she meant to him speaking when he told her that. At the young age of sixteen, she had thought that his dealings with her in bed were the only way he felt comfortable expressing how he felt for her but, as the years went by and she sustained herself on her memories of him, she realized that there had been hundreds of little ways that he told her he loved her.

A gloved hand was placed on her forehead, breaking her out of her thoughts, and the shaman asked with a concerned voice, "You're really red. Are you sure you're alright? Not running a fever are you?"

Yuya shook her head and said, "Just wondering what Kyo was like back in the day. I know he was always popular with women. Do you...know what he liked?"

It took a moment for what she was asking to register and the shaman blushed in return as he said, "How would I know?! He might have been a flirt but he was actually really private about that aspect of his life," his voice mellowed and turned thoughtful as he tapped a finger against his cheek and continued, "Come to think of it, he was a little too private, most men I know like to brag about their conquests. When he picked up a girl, it was always for a night and rarely the same one two times in a row. It's like he was afraid of growing too attached."

"Even with the Shiseiten, he was pretty distant. I'd like to say we were all good friends but in actuality there was a lot of rivalry between us. We were all of us nothing but a band of immature screw-ups with tragic pasts and no idea what love was, but we all wanted it in some way, shape, or form. Sometimes, I think Kyo was the worst of us. No matter how many people surrounded him, he was always alone, the only one of his kind."

She could see Akari looking far beyond her, to an old memory of her husband that pulled at the heartstrings and made the young woman want to weep for the lonely man she had met in the forest forever ago.

"That's why him choosing you, as much as it pains me to admit it, means so much and probably why he is fighting so hard against the idea of having you as a wife. It's like waking up from a dream to find out that everything you ever wanted was within reach and being afraid to do anything about it because, if you touch it, the dream will burst and disappear, kind of like a bubble."

Yuya got the odd feeling that Akari was also talking about himself and she quickly brought up an earlier comment by the man before she could betray her realization to him.

"Thanks for the insight Akari-San," she said, offering him a smile before saying, "You said before that all of the Generals had tragic pasts. Is that why you are always wearing this?"

She pointed at his gloved hand and his opposite one automatically flew over to cover it before he winced and said, "Normally, I'd order you to mind your own business but since you are _just_ weird enough that I think you can handle the truth, I'll tell you honestly. This left hand of mine is nothing more than an ugly curse that brings ruin to anyone who looks at it."

Yuya might have laughed at such a dramatic statement if Akari's face wasn't so serious and she asked gently, "What does it do?"

"Turns things to ash," came the reply and he looked away from the bounty huntress, pinching his lips together for a moment before saying, "I wasn't lying when I said that I was the strongest on the Four Generals. The others rely on their strength and they are insanely powerful but at least you can fight back with them. One look at this horrid hand and I can kill anyone I want."

A chill crept down Yuya's spine but she didn't move away, only stared at the shaman as he said, "It's a nightmarish reminder of my greatest betrayal but...sometimes I wonder if it's what a monster like me deserves. After all, I stood by and watched for years while my friends were used and experimented on while I sat pretty, confident that I was invaluable and anything I went through was never going to be as bad as what they endured."

He was so cold and distant that she started to get a little scared and didn't bother to think too deeply about what she was doing as she grabbed Akari's gloved hand and held it up to look at it.

That jolted him out of his trance and he attempted to pull his appendage away but she laced her fingers with his and refused to let him go.

He glared at her and said harshly, "Let go. I might not like you sometimes but I don't want you to turn to ash either."

Yuya returned his frown with a smile and said, "Only if you promise not to call yourself a monster again. I don't know your past but I have a feeling that you'd only use that hand in the direst situations. A real monster wouldn't keep a glove on to avoid hurting people, even when he was bathing."

Akari blushed and averted his eyes, annoyed at having his small kindness found out and she reached her other hand out to run it very lightly over the back of his hand, noting the odd texture beneath the fabric. The shaman sucked in a small breath before tugging the appendage away and thrusting it behind his back so she couldn't get at it again.

"That's quite enough of that. I don't understand where you get this endless boldness from. I can't figure out if you are courageous or stupid."

The bounty huntress laughed and sat back as she replied, "Probably a little of both. But, I really care about my friends and I'm happy you told me a little bit about the Kyo I never got to meet. It lets me understand a bit more what Muramasa told me before we left."

"And what was that?"

"He said that the same thing that attracted Kyo to me in the first place would still be appealing to him when we met again. I had forgotten about it by last night but hearing you talk of his past helps me out a lot. I lost a little of my confidence but I think I was making something I want to accomplish more complex than it needed to be. Thank you so much for being a friend, Akari-San," Yuya offered the shaman a bright smile, truly grateful for his help even if he didn't know how important his info was to her.

Akari stared at her and shook his head as he said, "You really are a fearsome woman, Yuya. No wonder your friends love you so much."

She didn't quite understand what the shaman meant by calling her fearsome but his grin was fond as he ruffled her hair and said, "I think I'm starting to see what makes you so attractive to Kyo. However you plan to get him, I'm sure it'll be fun," his expression turned sly as he continued, "for both of you."

Yuya hid her face again, embarrassed at being found out, and listened while the shaman laughed and made his exit.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I can't lie, I wanted to have Kyo and Yuya meet up, hop into bed and make up. But I realized that: A) That might be a bit unrealistic with them having been years apart, B) Kyo is naturally going to be cautious about having such strong feelings out of the blue for a "stranger" since he is very much a "look a gift horse in the mouth" type of person, and C) Kyo just came out of dungeon, fresh from a long journey and is probably rank by now, funky just isn't romantic. I'm not trying to add drama just for the sake of drama, I promise, and they'll get together for real by the next chapter.

Thanks for reading, as always, and please let me know what you think.


	17. Good Intentions and Lost Love

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Akari has always needed a hug and someone to tell him everything is going to be alright. More Kyo/Yuya this chapter. Thanks as always for your well wishes.), **kyoandyuya** (No worries, Yuya will get her man. ;-) Each of the Generals had their problems and I think that in Hotaru's case, he was rejected by his own family and therefore rejected everyone else but found out that friends and family are important and what he really needs.), **magicalnana** (Akari did have a little crush on Yuya in the manga, I think. Kyo and Yuya will have their moment soon.), **Juliedoo** (I'm glad you enjoyed seeing things from Ieyasu's perspective and even though Kyo is a jerk, he is what he is and that's why Yuya loves him and he loves her. She accepts his flaws but doesn't always let him get away with things. As always, Yuya and Akari are fun to write and make a great pair and it's make me happy that you like the way I've written them since it seems like very few people write about Akari), **Rinfantasy** (Akari is a sweetheart. I'm taking it one step at a time with revealing Kyo's past to him), **J Luc Pitard** (First, thanks for taking the time to review both chapters, I'm happy you are still enjoying the story. I had a lot of fun bringing in more of the gang and I'm dying for Kyo and Yuya to get together again properly since both are in need of some serious lovin'. Also, yeah, I think the original Crimson King has had enough of his stubborn kid. ^_^), **Titania** (Thanks a lot! I think Kyo will both like and be unable to resist a Yuya who puts the moves on him), **Deby MU** (Yuya refuses to lose. She worked hard to get Kyo in the first place and isn't about to let him get away again. They'll get to have some action but I won't get too detailed, I like writing a sexy romance but descriptive sex is off the table. I'll see about making longer chapters but no promise, it depends on where my inspiration is. Thanks as always for reading and being so encouraging.), **lmamc** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter, hope I don't disappoint)

 **Japanese note:** maai is a samurai's perimeter, the field he generates around himself to measure the distance between himself and everyone else.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

 **Good Intentions and Lost Love**

Far away from Edo, in a room situated high in the Crimson King's castle, Sakuya stared at the sky and watched the future unfold. There was a lot left to accomplish but she was pleased by the progress that had been made towards a happy future for her friends and the people of the Mibu clan. If she didn't have so much insight into what was going to be, she might have hated the clan and what it stood for but she had learned a long time ago that holding onto pain would never bring her peace of mind and she knew that the clan was suffering.

A good ending was one where there was minimal loss of life when the old regime was done away with and the Death Disease was a thing of the past. To achieve that goal, she had been reaching her hand further and further out from her gilded cage, making subtle moves and insuring that the right people had access to the right information.

Her mobility was very limited these days as the former king descended further into madness and moved forward with his plans to bring tragedy to both humankind and the Mibu. She was allowed to visit the king's study, stay in her room, or occasionally play with Kyo's adorable son and his little friend - that was the extent of her freedom. Sometimes it was hard to maintain her sanity and rebelling against the king, no matter how small, was one of the few things that made her situation bearable.

However, instead of moping about, as she did some days, she was in a happy mood. The miko had been gifted with a vision of Kyo reuniting with his wife in Edo and knew it was only a matter of time before they would find the key to breaking the seal she'd placed on Kyo's memories. It also meant the completion of her little gift to Yuya. Knowing how vital Kyo's wife was to both his growth and the future of the clan, she wanted no strife or doubts to come between the couple.

As she broke away from her prophetic trance and moved from one end of her room to the other, making preparations for her expected visitor, she hummed to herself at the thought that it wouldn't be long before she was free at last. There were so many things she wanted to do when she was no longer reduced to being the king's pet seer - taken out and made to perform while serving as leverage against the people who loved her. Her ultimate dream was to live in peace with Kyoshiro, preferably someplace far away, and never have to use her gifts again unless absolutely necessary.

As she set out her tea set, a knock sounded at the door and she rushed over to open it, managing to trip only once in her haste. Upon seeing her guest, she offered him a smile and bade him to come in and have a seat, setting a cup down for him before pouring him a serving of her special moss tea.

Yukimura stared into the dark green mixture, which bubbled ominously, and offered her an uneasy smile before picking up the vessel and taking a small sip. Blinking in surprise at the taste, he pulled it away to give it an appraising look.

"This is quite good, Sakuya-San," he said and she smiled as she poured herself a cup as well.

They sipped their drinks in silence for a few minutes before she broached the subject for which she had called him. Usually she kept their meetings to a minimum, unwilling to attract too much of the king's attention but she was very interested in knowing what his findings were so that she could fit them in with her own plans.

"Have you found anything out about this army Hishigi is creating, Yukimura-San," she asked.

The older man paused in the act of sipping his drink and shook his head as he replied, "No, security around his lab has increased ever since Kyo and his sword went missing. I'm not sure when or where the Taishirou plan to strike first but I've made a few moves of my own and requested the help I believe we'll need if we are to avoid the worst-case scenario."

The miko nodded and took another swallow of her tea before saying, "There is another person I think will be of help. I considered informing the clan members in the village who are loyal to Muramasa that he will be here soon but I thought that wouldn't be wise. Fubuki and Hishigi have spies everywhere. Instead, there is someone else whose help I would like to employ."

Yukimura drained his cup and sat it down before leaning forward and asking, "And who is this person?"

"I can't say yet until I finish working out what his role will be. However, I can say that he will be a great help to Kyo's family."

The samurai sat back and stared at her for a long moment before asking, "I think I can guess who, but I'll leave that alone for the moment. Instead, how is Kyo doing and where is he?"

Sakuya finished off her tea and said, "He's working things out with his wife in Edo. I've foreseen the battle you plan to have with him. Are you sure you want to go through with it?"

The youngest Sanada flicked his hair over his shoulder and said, "Since fighting Kyo played a big part in my decision to come here, I'd hate to let the power I've gained go to waste."

The seer sighed and left the matter alone, knowing that he wouldn't be swayed and would not welcome her spoiling the outcome of his long awaited battle.

He flashed her a grateful smile before his gaze turned probing and he said, "Since we are on the subject of Kyo, I have something I've been dying to ask you. Are you responsible for Kyo's problems with women? It's probably the biggest secret that _everyone_ knows."

Sakuya sucked in her breath and felt her face heat up as she ducked her head down to stare at her empty cup, rolling it between her palms as she tried to think of a way to answer without falling to pieces. She was happy with the results of her tampering but tried not to dwell too much on her methods because it was pretty embarrassing to think of what she had done to make sure things ran smoothly for Kyo and his wife.

"Oh, there's a story hidden behind that pretty face," Yukimura said slyly and she wished she had more tea in her cup to stall him.

"It's a bit awkward to voice it out loud, Yukimura-San," she all but whispered, rolling her cup faster and faster until it slipped from her hands and fell to the floor.

The two looked at the cup before their eyes met and the warrior reached out to clasp her hands gently as he said, "Forgive me Sakuya-San, I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not your fault, I just...well, it's a little hard to talk about it. Kyo's...problem is my fault but I did have a good reason. It wasn't originally part of my plan but it just popped into my head after I saw the vision about Kyo's child years ago. Strange as it may sound, I didn't know how to do it before that. I heard the strangest voice when I saw my vision and it cut the whole thing short and then the idea was there, just staring me in the face. After that, it continued to grow and took hold."

"What idea took hold?" he asked softly.

"Well...I thought it would hurt Yuya-San if Kyo went back to his old self and slept," she all but whispered the word, "with other women. I also knew it would be really bad if he produced children like Fubuki and the rest wanted. So I kind of...sort of...cursed him."

The older man's eyes widened and his lips spread into a grin as he replied, "Seriously? Since when did you get so devious and what in the world did you curse him with? You aren't thinking of doing the same to me are you? I _do_ have a reputation to maintain."

Sakuya frantically shook her head and furrowed her brow when she realized that he was teasing her. She was horrible about falling for jokes - Kyo used to rib her about her gullibility all the time.

Still frowning at him, she played with her fingers for a bit before answering, "It's an old curse that a miko would have laid on someone if she wasn't inclined to use her powers for good."

Yukimura's eyes lit up with interest and he leaned forward again as he said, "Go on."

"I guess you'd call it a darker sort of love spell. Most are harmless wishes and blessings for the long life and happiness of a couple but the one I used on Kyo was meant as a sort of torment. Sometimes it was used to correct a man who was inclined to stray but, more often, it was used as a way to force one person to fall in love with another. It starts off relatively mildly by making it impossible for a man to have physical contact with anyone but the woman who is the desired goal of the curse. The rate of progression varies depending on how strong-willed the man is but it eventually gets to the point where he'll start dreaming about her. It's designed to foster obsession."

"The end result was that he would either go insane, fall for the woman he's fixated on or, in the worst cases, kill himself. It's not a very nice thing to do to someone," she said softly as she wrung her hands together before hazarding a glance at Yukimura who looked torn between horror and amusement.

He settled on the latter and asked, "If you've cursed Kyo - I'll assume the cure for him is Yuya-San – then how is he supposed to fulfill the terms of his affliction."

Sakuya suspected that he had probably already worked it out but she answered him anyways with, "It's the same solution needed to break the seal on his memories. I wanted him to get back everything he'd lost all at once but had to do it in a way that would require more effort than something like a kiss and would come naturally to him. So in order to break the curse he has to...to...to," she pinched her lips to stop her stuttering, patting at her flaming cheeks.

A snort sounded and Yukimura's shoulders shook before he managed to say, with as straight a face as he could manage, "So he has to...?"

She gave a jerky nod.

"With Yuya-San specifically?"

Another nod.

He started chortling and she quickly rushed to explain her choice in cures as she said, "I wanted to make sure it was Yuya in particular who brought his memories back and I couldn't do that by manipulating the seal I placed on him alone."

The warrior only chuckled harder and gasped out between bursts of mirth, "So what would you have done if he didn't get together with Yuya-San in enough time?"

The miko blinked and played with the ends of her hair as she thought about his question. While it was true that she had already foreseen the outcome of their current path, the future wasn't exactly set in stone and her gift did not make her all-knowing. There was always the chance that things would change in ways she couldn't predict.

However, since she knew Kyo had reunited with Yuya, she was sure they would be alright and offered her visitor a bright smile as she pressed her hands together and said hopefully, "I was pretty sure it would all work out in the end."

Her voice ended on a slightly uncertain note and Yukimura couldn't help himself, he completely lost himself in laughter.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

If there was one thing that could be said about Yuya, it was that it was nearly impossible to persuade her to alter her course once she made up her mind about something. After struggling through the night and talking with Akari, she had a nice long nap, ate a good meal and bathed herself before dressing in a simple kimono, eschewing her undergarments because they were unnecessary to her plans. She brushed her hair out until it shone and allowed it to flow down her back unbound, smiling when she realized that it was almost to her waist now.

The young woman did not bother to strap on her knives or bring her gun because this was Kyo she was dealing with and she didn't want him to think she felt any need to protect herself from him. The man he was now did not know her and would assume that any weapon on her person was brought along for the sole purpose of using it on him at some point. There was a split-second of worry at being completely defenseless – the presence of her weapons had been a near-constant for years - but she was determined that Kyo would understand her position and respond accordingly. She knew her husband and was going to put that knowledge the test.

After offering a silent prayer to whichever Kami was watching over her as well as her deceased brother, she left her room once the sun had sank below the horizon and made her way slowly to Kyo's quarters. She knew that he was inside – his ki was burning brightly on the edge of her senses - and paused at the door, sucking in a breath and letting it out gradually before sliding the barrier open and stepping inside without knocking.

Closing the door behind her, she stared forward and held still as her spouse paused in the act of toweling his hair dry and fixed her with annoyed red eyes. She didn't believe for one second that he hadn't known she was standing outside his room, his maai was too sensitive for that, but she could tell he was surprised she had the nerve to enter his den.

"I don't recall giving you permission to come in," Kyo said in a hard voice.

"That's because I didn't ask you for it," Yuya countered boldly as she walked over to stand in front of him.

He was seated to the side of his futon and her eyes briefly flicked over to the bedding before she pinned him with her gaze and said, "We need to talk, Kyo."

Those crimson orbs sharpened and he replied with deceptive calm, "No, we don't."

"Are you going to pretend that what passed between us in the jail never happened?" she asked just as calmly.

"And what passed between us, exactly?" he asked nonchalantly as he continued drying his hair, "I saw you, you saw me and I got a little excited because I've been traveling for a while and haven't had time for a woman."

He was deliberately trying to provoke her by trivializing the obvious effect she had on him but Yuya refused to rise to his bait, knowing that getting angry would only stall things and give him the excuse he needed to push her away again.

"You are such a difficult person, you know that?" Yuya said with a sigh and he looked faintly startled, as if she had said something particularly strange.

"Since you clearly want to play dumb, it looks like I'll have to get serious," she continued, bringing her hands to her obi and tugging it loose before allowing her kimono to slip to the floor, leaving her bare before him.

The look in his eyes didn't change as he stared at her but he slowly set his towel down and leaned back, silently appraising her form before saying, "I've seen better."

"I know you have," she countered, having made peace a long time ago with the fact that she was never going to be an Okuni or some other such ephemeral beauty but content anyways because she offered something no one else could.

"So what makes you think I'd find you any more attractive?" came his harsh question.

"Because I am me and you are you," she said simply and he sucked his teeth in disbelief.

"I don't even know you and you're already getting cryptic on me. So I got a little horny the first time I saw you, there are plenty of other fish in the sea."

"Absolutely true," she said, offering him a pleasant smile that visibly threw him off-guard before lowering herself until she was sitting in front of him with her legs beneath her with her form framed by the pool of her discarded clothing. She placed her hands on top her thighs and sat up straight, conveying to him that she would not bow so easily to his attempts to run her off.

"So why are you here, woman?" he asked, and she noticed that his tone wasn't quite as gruff.

"I came to introduce myself, Kyo, since you say you barely know me."

"I don't want..." he began but she cut him off.

"My name is Mibu Yuya – formerly Shiina – and I am twenty years old," she said, "The two of us were married four years ago and before you start complaining, _you_ were the one who asked me, not the other way around. I'd just like the record to reflect that."

Kyo let a humorless laugh and said, "You must have tricked me into going through with it."

"I'm sorry but I'll have to raise an objection. You are Demon Eyes Kyo, no one makes you do anything you don't want to do."

He closed his mouth and looked at her closely, probably wondering how she knew about that aspect of his personality when there were plenty of women who believed wholeheartedly in their power to make men do whatever they wanted.

"Fine," he said after a while, "So why don't you tell me what could possibly have caused me to change my mind on marriage. It certainly wasn't your incredible looks."

She ignored the intent behind the barb and replied, "Of course it wasn't my looks, Kyo. You have enjoyed the company of any number of women who are gorgeous, desirable, and skilled in the art of lovemaking."

He nodded along with her as if to say "I told you so" but froze at her next words and, for the first time since she entered his domain, started to look uncomfortable.

"But that isn't what you wanted or needed. Not then and not now."

"And what would you know about my wants?" he asked coldly, holding himself rigid and bringing his hands up to rest on his crossed legs as he silently dared her to tell him about his own deep desires, his fondest wishes.

Yuya knew that stance, he was starting to feel a little cornered and would lash out if he thought she was trying to get the better of him. Her husband didn't like being helpless and she needed to go gently before yanking the rug out from beneath him, he had to want the inevitable fall.

She relaxed her position a little and carefully maintained a kind expression on her face as she leaned forward slowly and reached out to place soft, non-threatening hands on his folded legs. He glared at the appendages but she accepted her small victory when he didn't move away and instead focused his gaze on the rest of her, stopping to appraise her breasts with a look that wasn't quite as disinterested as before.

"You may touch them if you'd like, Kyo," she offered sweetly, sitting up a little taller so that he had a better view of the fruits available to him, "After all, those are two of your favorite body parts."

His hands twitched but he didn't move to take her up on her invitation and so she added, "Do you want to know what else you like?"

Her husband pulled his eyes upwards to take in her visage again and replied mockingly, "I already know what I like and you still haven't answered my question. What do you know about my wants?"

"I'm getting there," she said, slowly moving her hands forward until the tips of her fingers were just touching his knuckles.

He gave a near imperceptible start and his eyes moved down to look at her digits before returning to her face as she said, "Anyways, another one of your favorite things is to be kissed. Soft or hard, deep or shallow, you don't care what type as long as you have that contact. You like it when a tongue is involved or when there are teeth nibbling at your lips, you even like it when I moan into your mouth because you've used your body to remind me why we are truly two halves of a whole."

Kyo wasn't feigning disinterest in her now and she poked her tongue out, licking her lips briefly and thrilling when his eyes followed the movement, before leaning closer and asking, "Would you like to kiss me, Kyo?"

That shapely mouth moved slightly and she knew that he was considering it before he caught himself, clenching his hands as he said, "I don't know where your mouth has been."

It was a horrible thing to say but his voice lacked heat and she laughed quietly, as if he had just told a joke. Bending her head down slowly, so as not to spook him, she gave him two little pecks, one on the back of each of his balled-up fists. Working her hands underneath his, she leaned back a bit, bringing the two of them up and giving feather-light kisses to each of his knuckles until the digits relaxed and unfurled, allowing her to turn them over and press her lips to first one palm and then the other.

Her mate watched in silence, apparently unwilling to make her stop, and she pressed his hands to her cheeks so that he was cupping her face as she asked, "Do you want to know what I like, Kyo?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me," he replied sarcastically and she chuckled.

"You know it," Yuya said before looking into his eyes and absently running her fingers over the backs of his hands which were now cradling her head of their own volition.

"What I like, Kyo, is you."

It was a simple but profound statement and he watched her with an intensity that made her tingle as she elaborated on her words.

"I like your eyes. Not just for their color but because they miss nothing and tell me the things you would never dare to speak out loud."

His lids lowered partway, as if he could hide himself from her and she smiled at how obvious he was before continuing, "I like your mouth as well because of the vital gift you gave me four years ago. You might not remember what you said but it gave me strength when you were gone. Those lips are mean and a little foul sometimes, but they never lie and the kisses they hand out are sweet. I have to admit, I'm addicted to them."

"And I bet I can guess your next favorite thing," he said, his tone suggestive.

He was trying to seize control of the conversation and she deftly avoided his trap by asking brightly, "How did you know your hands came next?"

He blinked and she winked at him and pressed on with, "Oh, I like _that_ part of you too. But I adore your hands. They are strong and rough, covered with more blood than I will ever be able to imagine but," she tilted her head slightly so she could nuzzle her cheek affectionately against his calloused palm, "they have protected me more times than I can count and given me more pleasure than I ever dreamed of. Did you know that I have never let anyone else touch me the way I let you?"

At last, she saw a spark in those crimson eyes. It wasn't the mundane sort of interest you gave a passing attraction but, rather, the beginning flames of real desire. Gradually he was starting to see her – Yuya the woman. Physical need could be controlled to a degree but ignoring what she herself offered as a person and a wife was a little more difficult to do. There was a struggle going on inside of him and he was trying so hard to remain unaffected that she almost felt sorry for him. However, she had already decided that she would give him no quarter.

Seducing Kyo was a process. Weakness was not attractive to him and neither was manipulation. Some might have argued that she was skirting the fine edge of the latter but she wasn't trying to control him so much as give him what he needed. Most people would assume that enticing Kyo was only a physical matter – that the most exotic or the raunchiest woman would win. But she knew that it was far more psychological than that, otherwise he'd have gone off to live happily-ever-after with whatever female pleased him best in bed long before he met her.

No, she knew what turned him on and it wasn't something as simple as tearing one's clothes off and saying "come and get it", although such actions had their place and she was not opposed to doing that. She wasn't sitting there naked because she was trying to make him lose control. Instead, it was her way of letting him know that she trusted him - an obvious yet subtle way of conveying the depths of her feelings for her husband because it was the only way to get him to respond honestly. To force him to ask himself the right questions and connect the dots.

Why wouldn't she let anyone else touch her? Why was she so comfortable in her own skin around him? Why was she so determined to be in his presence even though his words and body language expressed dislike and distrust towards her? How did she feel about him?

Yuya looked her husband in those beloved red eyes and asked quietly, "Do you know what I see when I look at you, Kyo?"

He refrained from speaking, merely shook his head and she rewarded his shift from rude rejoinders to genuine anticipation with a fond smile as she said, "I see a person who has spent more time alone than anyone should ever have to. You are a violent man, Kyo, who loves to fight and be challenged. And who tries to drive everyone away before they can get too close. You are arrogant, powerful, crude, cruel...and wonderful."

If she were incorrect, he would have been the first person to push her away and laugh at how wrong she was but, instead, the flame in that ruby gaze grew stronger and her body reacted accordingly to his interest. She wanted him, desperately, but forced herself to be patient because there was more she needed to convey to him, more reactions she needed to wring out of him to make sure it became impossible for him to crawl back into the safe shell of his apathy.

She gently detached one of the hands touching her face and guided it down and around her side before moving its twin down and over her other shoulder. It lightly ghosted over the side of her breast – making her squirm a bit and moan in the back of her throat at the long missed contact – before she wrapped it around her ribs as well, causing him to hold her in a loose embrace. Kyo didn't move but she felt a slight tightening of his fingers and knew that he was fighting not to draw her closer.

The bounty huntress took in a slow breath and held it as she reached up to touch her fingers to the sides of his face, caressing the skin slowly as she watched for any signs of rejection. There were none and she let out her breath as she cupped his cheeks, rubbing her thumbs over the well-sculpted bones beneath and just enjoying the pleasure of touching him after waiting so long to see him again.

"Do you still think my position as your wife is a lie?" she asked quietly and he waited for a few seconds before shaking his head slightly.

Her smile widened and she was struck by the urge to hear his voice addressing her, not with derision or suspicion, but with the low tone that told her he found her desirable. So she asked him quietly, "Do you understand how I feel about you now, Kyo? Why I waited so long for you?"

Kyo shook his head mutely and she moved her face an inch closer as she said, "Really? What are those phenomenal senses of yours telling you about me?"

She parted her legs slightly and rubbed a thumb across his lips as she asked, "What does my scent tell you?"

He hesitated only slightly before closing his eyelids and taking a deep breath. His muscular arms tightened around her as he slowly exhaled and opened his eyes, staring at her with pupils that were slightly dilated as he said huskily, "That you are hot and wet," he took another breath and continued, "and you want me."

Leaning forward until her breath feathered over his lips, she whispered, "Always."

And then she kissed him.

It was soft at first until she used her tongue to knock at the door of his closed lips and was delighted when he opened easily, letting her in and meeting her searching muscle with his own. She moved her hands from his face and slid them over his shoulders, holding him tightly as she kissed him with every speck of the loneliness and desperation that she'd been saving up over the years. He allowed her to control the kiss for a minute before he took over, pouring out upon her his own answering feelings of need and pain.

She played with the hair at the back of his neck as they slowly drew apart and asked breathlessly, "What did that tell you?"

He stared at her with darkened eyes before bending down and pressing a quick kiss against the side of her neck, following it up with a sharp nip that made her yelp.

Before she could say anything, he brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her face and replied, "That the time for talking is past."

Yuya let out a laugh which turned into a sigh as he pushed her slowly to the side and lowered her onto his futon, arranging her limbs until she was comfortable before gliding a hand down to map out the length and terrain of her body. She didn't resist him in the slightest and he gave her a tiny smile as he removed his hands and untied his kimono, shrugging the garment off carelessly.

His arms were braced on either side of her head as he lowered his head to kiss her once more and she moaned into his mouth, closing her eyes just to savor the sensation. She was more than ready to bring their reunion to its climax but there was one more question she needed him to answer and she caught and held his face before he could kiss her again as she asked, "There is one last thing I need you to tell me, Kyo."

Her husband paused and gave her a long stare before asking, "What?"

"When you see me, lying here before you and accepting the touch of those bloodstained hands, what does that tell you?"

Those red eyes narrowed, not in anger but in thought, as their owner examined her countenance. She hid nothing from him, telling him without words how she felt - from her love for him to her desires to her hopes and her fears. Rough fingers touched the side of her face and his gaze softened in a way she remembered and adored but which was, undoubtedly, new for him.

An eternity seemed to pass before he said quietly, "It tells me that you are a woman who trusts me."

She nodded.

"You love me?"

The slight bewilderment in his voice was heartbreaking but she nodded again.

"And you are mine."

She swallowed past a lump in her throat and nodded once more as she said thickly, "You asked me to tell you what it was that you wanted. Haven't you just answered your own question?"

Kyo's eyes widened and then he closed them, letting out a low chuckle as he bent down close until his lips were hovering over hers once more and said, "You really are something else...Yuya."

It was the first time he'd used her name since seeing her again but it was enough - _he_ was enough - and she smiled, not caring that she was on the verge of tears as she replied with all the feeling in her heart, "I love you, Kyo. Now, can you _please_ make love to me?"

Her husband laughed, kissed her soundly, and then proceeded to show her exactly what she'd been missing.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yikes, that was actually kind of hard to write. I hope it wasn't too awkward because seduction isn't my forte at all. _ I just didn't think it would make sense for Yuya to try and aggressively rouse Kyo's passions because he's always been so attracted to her because of her trust in him. Nevertheless, that was fun to write and more romance (and plot) ahead. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.

P.S. It took me forever to realize that Kyo was mouthing "suki" (which means to love/like someone or something) to Yuya when the red tower was falling. Kamijyo-Sensei is slick, she managed to squeeze out a legit confession of love from the main male character in a shonen manga.


	18. Perfect Pairs and Old News

**Thanks to: lmamc** (It's not my intention to frustrate you. I just try to reach a stopping point where I can set the story down without having to expound more than needed.), **suntan140** (Yes, Kyo is going to get his memories back and they are going to head out soon to return to the Mibu), **Juliedoo** (Thanks, I'm glad the solution to ensure Kyo's fidelity worked out for you, the other solution might have been more romantic but it would have been a bit too cheesy. I'm also happy you liked Yuya's method of attack, I was trying to make a reconciliation that made sense with Kyo being the way he is), **Titania** (I'm happy to have Kyo and Yuya back together too and I really appreciate the compliment. I would love to write my own stories someday. I thought about giving Kyo and Yuya a wild reunion but, like you said, it wouldn't have much meaning to Kyo and would not differentiate Yuya in his mind from other women. More romance and fun coming up), **ThunderxShadow** (Aww, you're makin' me blush. I'm happy you enjoyed Kyo and Yuya's reconciliation and I'm serious when I say that, judging by the shape of his mouth in the two panels, Kyo was definitely mouthing a love you but since it's Shounen manga, they'd never write it out, sigh. Anyways, more romance coming up), **J Luc Pitard** (I'll be honest, I had to think long and hard about how to insure there was no extramarital drama. Having a special connection tying Kyo's hands to keep him from sleeping with other women is romantic but would have been really unrealistic. That said, there were already cracks forming on his sealed memories - not sure you remember Hishigi's commentary on Kyo's abilities and resistances some chapters back - and while the dreams might have been brought about by the curse, the contents of them and the emotions were 100% Kyo's. To address the note about the scar, this was from Yuya's perspective and Kyo already knows that she's his dream woman, he wouldn't necessarily have thought more about it other than as an identifying mark. Anywho, thanks for taking the time out to read and review), **Deby MU** (Glad you enjoyed the get together, Kyo needs his darling wife in his life. Yuya is vital to the Mibu, not just because of her ability to have children, but because she is vital to Kyo's growth as a person and a warrior. As for Kyo's love confession in the manga, I'll say the same thing I said to ThunderxShadow above, judging by the shape of his mouth in the two panels, Kyo was definitely mouthing "suki" but since it's Shounen manga, they'd never write it out. His mouth wouldn't form "thank you" unless he was speaking in English since "arigatou" is three syllables), **magicalnana** , **Rinfantasy** (Fatherhood is definitely going to take some adjusting to and I agree that Kyo and Yuya are a perfect couple, hence the title of this chapter. ^_^), **kyoandyuya** (Lol, I completely missed the joke about Hotaru. As for Kyo's cure...what can I say, I wanted something that he was guaranteed to do at some point. :-P I can't wait for the reunion of the whole family, it's gonna be fun.), and **abattles2** (I'm dead serious about him mouthing "suki" to here. I know the translations render it as "be happy" or "thank you" but none of the words I know in Japanese for either of those fit the shape of his mouth. However, since it's shounen, I know they'd never admit it. I'm glad you liked the way Yuya got her man back, I was trying to keep it in character, and I agree on Yuya being completely clueless about how many of her guy friends like her. It's the funny but cute thing about her. I can't wait for them to catch up with Sakuya and find out what she did, fun times ahead, lol.)

 **Author's note:** Lovey-dovey, sticky-sweet lime ahead

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

 **Perfect Pairs and Old News**

The first time they came together, it was rough, intense, and over far too quickly.

Kyo wanted to recreate the slow, passionate exploration he'd given Yuya in his dreams – stoking her fire until she was begging for him. It was an admirable plan but undone by the woman herself.

The Thousand Killer took one look at her lying there on his bed, his beautiful gold and cream woman who was so much better in the flesh, and all was lost. Those brilliant green eyes were too much. That pretty mouth was too much. Those succulent breasts were too much. And the devastatingly erotic scent of her need was too much.

It had been a long four years and the moment they touched it was as if oil had been thrown on the flames that smoldered between them. They consumed each other in a glorious blaze of clinging mouths, grasping hands, and incoherent desire. She reveled in the fact that her husband had returned and was touching her once more. He marveled at the fact that he had a wife who - strangely - knew him, knew what he needed, and loved him without reservation.

Even if they had a history together, Kyo didn't remember it and thus was exalted anew at having a woman as incredible as Yuya in his arms. He wrapped his hand in that gleaming sunshine hair, pressed his lips and teeth to her throat, and made her scream.

From their kisses, to the grip on his hands on her flesh, to her nails digging into his back, to the movement of their hips - everything about that first union was hard. His designation on her lips and in her voice called forth a hitherto unknown possessiveness that drove him to imprint his scent and taste on her skin, to ensure that she and anyone else who came near knew to whom she belonged. It was a wild, inhuman urge but she accepted it, accepted him, and gave herself freely to the man who called himself her husband.

In return, he was captivated by his wife. Why had he fought the bonds of marriage so hard when they were so sweet? _She_ was so sweet.

His Yuya.

He was drowning in the sensation of her by the time they reached their peak together and she sang his name until she was hoarse. As he exulted in the feeling of completion, of fitting perfectly with his other half, he felt a change inside, as if something were crumbling away.

Closing his eyes to savor his feelings of satisfaction, he saw an image of himself holding a slightly younger Yuya who was pale but staring into his eyes with that heady combination of trust and love. He was speaking to her and then she was tearing up, but her lips were smiling and he felt relieved.

His first memory to return was of telling her that he loved her.

Kyo watched it unfold with a mixture of shock that he would ever have confessed such a thing to anyone and fascination because he'd never managed to make anyone as happy as he made her in that moment. In the afterglow of their long-awaited reunion, he pressed his head to her chest and watched as more recollections surfaced. Yuya's arms came up to hold him close, uncaring that he was a bit too heavy to be resting so much of his weight on her, and he remained silent, unwilling to reveal just yet that the past was coming back to him.

He wasn't sure how long it was that he lay there, breathing in the scent of her skin as his mind served moment after moment of his prior life to him. It was a testament to how important his wife was to him that the memories that came first were the ones of her.

The Thousand Killer remembered the first time they met – how bold and courageous she was. Their travels together. His growing attraction to her. His understanding that he'd give his life for her. Her throwing herself in front of him to protect him from Shinrei and the crushing fear of seeing her slaughtered in front of him. He remembered the rage and jealousy when the water-user gave her the kiss that sealed her fate and his decision to marry her. He could claim that it was because he was fulfilling her dreams but, no, he'd wanted her for himself.

From there, it progressed to their wedding and their first time together – the things she said and the way she reacted still got him hot and bothered even though it was new and somewhat painful for her at the time. His mind went into dangerous territory then as he remembered their interlude in the springs where they bathed each other and she told him why she loved him. And in the present, he felt himself readying for round two as he relived, in vivid detail, the three days they'd spent in Muramasa's guest house. The dream version of his wife was correct, he loved to see her naked and, since she was available in the here-and-now, he added caressing her bare form to his list of likes.

The second time they made love, it was a more languid affair because the edge of desperation had been taken off and they realized that neither of them was going anywhere. Armed with the memory of what she liked and how he felt about her, he coaxed her gently to her peak with kisses, licks, touches, words and slow strokes that were designed to tease and arouse. It was a reward from him to her for being who she was and waiting for him.

With every connection between his skin and hers he saw more and more memories and as he slid his fingers along the scar on her belly, he distantly wondered what had become of the idiot who had marred her skin. Had Kyoshiro done as he instructed and watched over her?

Instead of crying out at the end this time, Yuya reached her completion with a sigh and an adoring whisper of "Kyo" and he followed her quickly, nuzzling his lips to the side of a warm breast and pulling her close to muffle his own sounds of pleasure.

They slept afterwards and when he woke up, the sun was shining through the window and most of his past was intact. Unlike the first time, it had been slow and steady – like waves rolling in to kiss the shoreline - not a rushing torrent all at once where he had to sort out who was who and what was what.

Kyo took a minute to breathe in the wonderful scent of sex and Yuya before gently disengaging himself from his wife, doing his best not to wake her. Looking at her peacefully sleeping form in the light of day, he decided that it was the right thing to do. As he sat up and stretched for a moment or two, he assessed the woman lying next to him.

Her face was weary but her lips were curled into the secret, feminine smile of a woman who was well-loved and well-pleased and he grinned, proud of himself for putting it there. If he had his way, she'd be sporting that look as frequently as he could manage. After all, he had approximately 1,400 days to make up for.

While he had a little time to himself, he took stock of the changes the years had wrought on her. Her hair was still bright, a cascade of gold that haloed her head and was a little longer than he remembered. He lightly stroked a hand over those strands and enjoyed the silky feel of them, remembering how he'd combed them before shattering her world with the truth about her "brother" and then setting it to rights again by proposing.

Moving from her hair, he took in her face and was satisfied that her beauty had only increased as she aged. He'd always been fond of her looks, despite his teasing, and he was fascinated at the way the last vestiges of youthful roundness had been carved away to reveal fine bones and softly curved lips. He'd left her a girl and come back to find a woman.

Speaking of which, he liked the direction her body had taken. His wife had filled out in all the right places and he enjoyed what he saw and touched the previous night. He couldn't tease her about her bust anymore because those "peaches" - to borrow her own description of her breast-size – had grown a fair bit and were a nice handful now. They weren't enormous by any means, but enough to turn the heads of most men. How she'd grown from slightly skinny teenager to lush adult was a mystery but he certainly wasn't going to complain and he looked forward to seeing just how much she'd changed both physically and mentally.

Yuya sighed and moved her hips a bit and his eyes were drawn to the dark lines decorating both them and the skin of her thighs. His grin faded a bit and he reached out to lightly touch the discolorations where he'd held her too hard the first time. He hadn't realized that the driving need to possess and leave his mark on her had resulted in literal bruises and he was torn between worry that he'd hurt her and satisfaction that her skin was dotted with proof of his ownership.

In theory, he knew it wasn't a good thing to be so rough but the demon that lurked inside of him had no such pangs of conscience and it wanted more. It wanted to drag its tongue across those marks and set its teeth to her skin to gift her with more. She wouldn't stop him either, he knew it and the very thought made his fangs ache.

With some effort, he tore his eyes and hands away from the finger-shaped bruises and wondered where such weird urges came from. He was positive that he would never hurt Yuya but, even before they were separated, there were dark moments where he dwelled on the closeness of their relationship and contemplated the possibility of losing control of himself someday. He'd had to fight the innate desire to crush and destroy the people and things around him for most of his life, especially when he fought. It was part of the reason why he pushed everyone away – all too often he could feel it clawing at him to get free.

Kyo understood well that he was a selfish man. He knew the danger of developing anything deeper than the most superficial form of intimacy with anyone but he had allowed Yuya to get close anyways because he was weak against her. Like a withered plant, he'd drank in her light, her love, her everything - gorging himself on the nourishment she'd provided to his lonely heart and growing stronger in return. He was the wicked, untrustworthy Demon Child and she loved him with all she had and was loved deeply in return.

One would think that, after four years, the intensity of his feelings for her would have leveled off, giving him back some measure of control. Instead, he wanted her more than ever and he wondered if there would come a point where the sustenance she provided for his soul became too much and he devoured her, tearing her to pieces like the evil monster he was.

It was a disquieting thought and he pushed it away as quickly as it came when Yuya stirred and opened her eyes, blinking at the sunlight and extending her limbs in a long, languorous stretch that made it impossible for him to look away from her. Green irises sought him out and her lips spread in a wide smile that prompted him to bend down and kiss her slowly and deeply as he ran his fingers lightly across her stomach. Something about her abdomen niggled in the back of his mind but he couldn't quite remember what it was since he was still sorting through his old memories.

When he pulled away from his wife, he favored her with a grin and whispered, "Good morning, Dog Face."

Anger furrowed her brow, followed by shock and then elation and he wasn't quite prepared for her to go from sleepy to exuberant in less than a second as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"You remember me now, Kyo?!" she half-asked, half-exclaimed.

He chuckled and replied, "Hmm, I remember an ugly girl who used to follow me. Kept yelling my name all the time and telling me how much she loved me."

Catching onto his game, she kept her arms looped over his shoulders as she leaned back just far enough to look him in the eye again and asked in an amused voice, "Is that so? Whatever became of her?"

"Since I was stuck with her, I decided it was better to marry her and get it over with."

"Yikes, that sounds like such a hassle."

"It was but I can't complain, she wasn't too bad in the sack."

"Mmhmm," Yuya said, "And what happened next?"

Kyo shrugged and said casually, "A lot of stuff but it came down to a me or her situation. Since she'd grown on me by then, I decided I could take a hit for her. Crappy part about it is that I didn't see her again for a few years after that. I barely even remembered her."

His wife shook her head and said with mock sympathy, "Tragic, just tragic. I bet she missed you a lot too."

"Of course she did. You think she would miss out on this," he gestured to his body, "any longer than she had to?"

"My, my, you're so modest, Kyo-Sama," she replied sarcastically.

"It's one of my few flaws," he said with a tiny sigh and she laughed.

"Anyways, the next time I saw her, she was standing on the other side of a jail door and looking good enough to eat but I wasn't sure about her. It _had_ been a long time, y'know," he said and he gentled his tone at the sad look in her eyes, he was getting into delicate territory here because he'd hurt her with his rejection at that point.

"But," he reached up and stroked a hand through her hair, smiling when she unconsciously leaned into the caress, "while I was away, it seems she grew into an exceptional woman and came to me the other night even though it was hard to do after what I said to her."

"She sounds like a fool," Yuya said softly.

"Oh, no doubt," he replied, "but I like fools. I like them when they come to me and strip naked. I like them when they try and seduce me. I like them underneath me, panting and screaming my name. No, fools are fun."

Her cheeks pinked slightly and he continued, "Besides, I hadn't touched a woman in the four years we were apart."

His wife gave a start and her eyes grew huge as she asked, "How in the world did you not sleep with anyone while you were away?! You didn't remember me...I mean her."

"Dunno. It wasn't for lack of trying. But, it seems to have worked out," he said.

He'd been incredibly frustrated at the time but now that he was back with his wife, it wasn't really a bad thing. While he was sure she would have forgiven him any indiscretions he performed while his memories were sealed away, he also knew that it would have hurt her deeply, regardless of his mental state at the time. Looking at her beloved face, he didn't have it in him to hold onto any regrets about the pitiful state of his libido for the past few years.

Well, provided she was willing to show him what he'd been missing.

"Anyways, I'm sure this woman of yours is ecstatic to have you back," she said.

"Judging by how loud she was last night, I think you're right," he said, moving closer and kissing her again as he teased her lips apart with his tongue.

Yuya met it with her own and they shared a long, hot kiss that had him strongly contemplating a repeat of the previous night's activities. He stroked his fingers over her back and, just as he was about to move his hands in a more southwardly direction, she pulled away and said, "Wait."

Letting out an annoyed breath at being interrupted, he asked huskily, "What, woman?"

"There's a part in your story that is missing. Are you sure you remember everything, Kyo?"

"I'm not sure of anything right now but wanting to go for round three," he said irritably.

"Really? You don't remember the other reason for giving yourself up besides saving my life?" she asked, leaning away as she slid her hands around her middle in a gesture that was significant but didn't quite click with him as to why.

He searched his memories for a moment and an image surfaced of two women wearing nurses uniforms – Saishi and Saisei – laughing at Yuya while she clutched at her stomach and went pale. What was it about her belly that was so important, again? There was something there, something unexpected but precious.

It hit him then and he recoiled as if struck. It wasn't just Yuya he was trying to save when he bowed down to Fubuki. It was their unborn child. _That_ was why her body had changed so much. He was going to be a father. Except that was four years ago.

Reaching out to grip his wife's shoulders, he pinned her with his gaze and asked with complete seriousness, "The child. What happened to it? You didn't lose it, did you?"

He wasn't sure how he felt about having a kid but he knew that his wife would have been devastated if she miscarried their offspring.

She winced a bit and he immediately gentled his hold as he prodded, "Tell me woman...please."

Yuya shook her head in negative as she replied, "Everything went fine. Better than fine actually. You are the father of a little girl..."

Kyo was about to make a comment but paused as she completed her thought with, "...and boy."

Wait, he was a father twice over? How did that happen? He barely comprehended the idea of having one brat and there were two? His mind was reeling and there were a thousand things moving around all at once. He was vacillating between relief and a tiny bit of panic as he contemplated the idea of being responsible for not one but – count them – two little ones. The amount of knowledge he had on raising kids was about the size of a grain of salt. He knew he was supposed to feed them and keep them alive until they struck out on their own, that was about it.

And what had she said about the genders, a boy and a girl? He could probably raise the boy alright - teach him how to fight but aim for him to be a little less messed up than his old man. There wasn't too much worry about how strong the kid would be with him as a father and Yuya as a mother, his woman was rock solid.

His daughter, on the other hand, would be a problem. He didn't know anything about little girls other than that they grew up into fun playmates with built-in pillows for him to enjoy. What would a daughter of his even look like? A female version of him? Or maybe she looked like her mother. He stared at his wife and imagined a younger version of her. Whatever the kid looked like, he was positive that she was going to be a beauty when she grew up and that led to other horrifying thoughts. If his daughter was gorgeous that meant boys and boys meant his girl was going to have sex someday.

His face hardened. Screw that! He knew what boys were like. They only thought with what was in their pants. If any of them came sniffing and waving their "swords" around his girl, he'd chop them off. He couldn't handle the thought of an alternate version of his wife or even a female edition of himself having relations with anyone.

"Kyo," Yuya's voice broke into his confused musings and he stared at her, realizing that she had already called his name a few times and was looking at him with a concerned expression.

"Are you alright? You aren't upset at having two children instead of one are you? You don't mind being a father...do you?" there was a note of uncertainty in her voice and she tensed slightly, as if expecting the worst.

Understanding came to him and he immediately relaxed his scowl, shaking his head as he said, "I'm fine with it, woman. Just trying to figure out what sort of father I could possibly be. In my head, I know you were expecting and I wanted you and whatever we were having to be alright but there's a part of me that feels like it isn't quite real."

His wife let out a relieved laugh and said, "I know how you feel. In the beginning it was so hard to believe that there was anyone in there," she rubbed her abdomen, "but the moment I felt their first movement, I fell in love."

She was practically glowing as she smiled and absently caressed the spot where their children had been carried and he suddenly felt a sharp pang of regret. He could just imagine her looking like that while she waddled around and felt the kids kick and he'd missed it. Never in his life had he thought pregnancy was anything to get enthusiastic about but if it put that soft look on her face, he couldn't see it as a bad thing either.

A little embarrassed at the novel idea of feeling paternal, he decided to ask for details and listened attentively as she described his little girl in detail. When Yuya told him his daughter's name, he raised a brow at how mushy Aiko was and his wife blushed and said, "Well, the name fit and it served to remind me of...the last time we spoke before you went off to fight Shinrei."

The last time being when he confessed to her. He nodded, prompting her to go on and watching as she lit up when talking about the child. His daughter was apparently quite a charmer and he was interested in meeting her. He found her empathic abilities of note and when he prodded his wife for more details she explained how she had come to learn about shamans, what they could do, and how to train them.

"I can't believe Akari actually sought the old man out. He's a mess but fun to hang with. Didn't give you too much trouble for marrying me, did he?" Kyo asked.

Yuya giggled and said, "He did at first but, in all honesty, he's a sweetie and I really like him. We got into it a few times but after a certain incident, he started opening up and really helped me to figure out how I needed to get through to you after that scene down in the dungeon.

Noting the slight catch in her voice when she said "incident" he said, "Sounds like there's another tale there, woman. What happened to get you two to get along?"

She groaned, clapped a hand across her eyes and said, "It's embarrassing."

Naturally, that only made him more curious and, after a lot more goading, she finally explained to him about running into his crossdressing companion in the baths and discovering that he was actually a man, while losing her towel in the process. She then explained how she'd kneed him in response to his teasing and Kyo burst out laughing.

"I'll bet no one has kicked him in the stones for years. Dang, woman, I like the guy but I'd have paid to see someone get the drop on him for once. The two of us were cool but Bon and the rest can tell you some wild stories. Akari can be an unholy terror when he wants to be."

"So I gathered," Yuya replied sardonically.

"How're the old man and the idiot faring?"

"Otou-Sama, I mean Muramasa-San, is alright although his illness makes some days really hard for him and I'll admit that I wasn't helping at all for a while."

Kyo asked for more details and she told him about her bounty hunting and some of the close calls she'd had.

"Yeah, I can see why he'd be mad at you, woman. The goal was admirable but I'd have ripped you a new one if you'd gotten hurt. Getting stronger is good but being reckless will get you killed in a hurry unless you are willing to fight for real, not every enemy can or should come out of a fight alive."

His wife hunched her shoulders slightly and said, "I know, I already had the talk from Otou-Sama."

"And where was Kyoshiro when you were running all over the place and risking your life."

"He was right there with me," she replied and held up placating hands when she saw his answering glare, "Don't hold it against him, I pushed him into it and he didn't have much choice if he wanted to fulfill his promise to watch over me while you were gone. I'm pretty horrible about making him do whatever I want."

Kyo took a moment to consider what Kyoshiro looked like while taking orders from his wife and grinned, it was a pleasant thought.

"Whatever. There's one person you haven't spoken about. What's he like? My...son," he was a little hesitant to refer to his child by his familial title. Something about having a smaller version of himself running around was unsettling.

"Well," she paused for a long moment and he could tell from her face that he wasn't going to like what she said, "I don't actually know much about him. He was...taken away from me at birth by the Mibu and I had no idea that he existed until a short while ago when Muramasa told me. I didn't even know his name until Aiko met him and a man claiming to be her grandfather in a dream."

"That's weird," Kyo murmured, "the closest thing I have to an old man is Muramasa. I'm pretty sure whatever parents I have are long dead by now."

"Yeah, I don't know this mysterious grandfather but he _did_ say he was going to send you to Edo to meet me and here you. Whoever it is can't be all that bad, can he?"

Kyo had to wonder at her assessment but, since they had so little to go on, he let it rest for the time being.

"Anyways, according to Aiko, your son's name is Ryu and he has black hair and red eyes. Sounds like a copy of you, doesn't he?" she said with a laugh.

"Could be," he replied non-committally.

"By the way, supposedly, Shinrei is watching out for our son. I'm not sure how I feel about that or the fact that Aiko has been having dreams with him in it."

Kyo stared at Yuya in shock before something in his head clicked and he felt a rush of anger. During his stint with the Mibu, he'd always felt as if there was something that Shinrei was hiding from him and he'd assumed, after their final battle, that it was the truth about their past relationship. But, what if there was more to it? What if it was that the water-user had been hiding the existence of his own child from him? What if there was a significance to that tiny ki he sensed right before they fought?

 _'I'll kill him next time I see him,'_ Kyo promised himself, almost shaking with the magnitude of his realizations. If it turned out that he'd been within yelling distance of his own freaking child, heads were going to roll.

A soft hand clasped his and he looked at Yuya who was staring back at him with a worried look on her face. Reaching up, he cupped her cheek and brushed a thumb over her lips as her gave her a humorless smile and said, "Don't fret, woman. We'll get him back."

She gave him an answering smile and said, "I know, love."

Her eyes darkened a little then and she reached out to run her fingers gently across his pectorals. A warm wetness engulfed the tip of his thumb as she drew it into her mouth and he realized that she was done with conversing for the moment.

His false smile turned into a real one and he reached for her only to have her shake her head and say, "Uh uh, your turn to lay down first."

Cocking a brow at her, Kyo stared at her for a moment before doing as she asked and laying back on his futon. She bent over him, stroking her hands over his body in much the same way he had done to her the night prior. He was tempted to ask her what she planned to do but decided he didn't care _that_ much when she threw a leg over him and straddled his hips.

"You know, you have a promise to me that needs fulfilling," she said huskily and he frowned.

"I don't remember any extra promises, Yuya," he said.

"Well, it wasn't quite a promise. More an expectation of a certain reward," she said.

"Oh, really?" he replied, unsure of what she meant but happy as long as he continued to have a nice view of her breasts and there was love-making at the end of it.

"Yes. How was it you put it? You said that if I was very good, you'd teach me how to ride a stallion."

"Hmm, that does ring a bell," he said with a lascivious grin, recalling the conversation in question from their stint by the Mibu village.

"I thought it might and so I'm here to claim my reward," she said smugly, "I've waited for you for four years," she bent a little closer.

"True," he said.

"I haven't so much as looked at another man lustfully," she bent a little closer and her hair spilled forward over her shoulders.

"Also true."

"And I still chased you even though you were absolutely horrid to me when we finally met again," she came closer and he enjoyed the feel of her locks as they slid across his chest.

"That's a fact."

"And so Kyo, wouldn't you say that I've been very," she leaned closer with each softly purred word, "very good."

"Oh yes," he murmured against her lips before taking them with his and deciding that a lesson in "horsemanship" was in order.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hooray for romance! Alas, I've got to return to our regularly scheduled plot in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please let me what you thought. Hopefully it wasn't too cheesy.

If Kyo seems a little wife-beater-ish (see the part about the bruises he left on Yuya) it's set up for his fight with Sendai-Sama and a reference to the cover picture of this fic. It's also a reference to what the First King said about the violence inherent in all the True Mibu.


	19. Wicked Visitors and Family Problems

**Thanks to: abattles2** (Lol, the very thought of Kyo being a dad just makes me laugh. Yet, for some reason I thing he'd actually be kind of good at it), **Rinfantasy** (I'm so happy to have them together again. Scary Kyo, Papa-edition is a go.), **Juliedoo** (Lol, I laughed harder than I should have at the mental picture of Kyo going all Mortal Kombat on his daughter's suitors. I plan to dole out as many happy endings as I can for these pretend people that we love. ^_^), **celia152** (Welcome aboard, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter), **kyoandyuya** (Kyo would be like, "No one is allowed to date my baby!" Don't worry too much about Shinrei, he won't have to fight Kyo for real again but more on that later. As for Kyo and Yuya having more kids, you'll have to wait and see. ;-P), **Titania** (I figured my readers deserved a nice heaping dose of romance for being so patient and supportive. I'm happy you enjoyed this chapter and don't worry about Shinrei, he's going to show up again. I can't wait for the kids to see their parents together.), **Deby MU** (Lol, Kyo would definitely protect his daughter from men like himself ;-) and Ryu will grow up to be a great fighter like his papa if I have anything to say about it. I'm really happy you enjoyed Kyo and Yuya's intimate moments, they are so good together as a couple. Love them! The others will come back soon and then they are heading out to save the day. Thanks for always cheering me on and continuing to read, it's very encouraging.), **ThunderxShadow** (I just don't have the words to say how much I appreciate what you said. I'm so, so happy that you like both of my SDK fics so much. It truly means a lot because I feel a little lonely sometimes since most authors dropped the fandom. Knowing that my stories are being read and enjoyed just makes my day and I really, really appreciate that you like the way I've written the characters. That is always a huge worry for me because I'm a real stickler for keeping things in character but it gets little hard when you want to have them experience growth as individuals without ruining what made them great in the first place. I'm also very happy that you like the romance since I know I'm not as descriptive of the actions as some writers and I truly hope it has been sexy but tasteful and emotionally fulfilling. Anyways, I'm going on and on but I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you!), **magicalnana** (Glad you enjoyed. More plot coming up.), **lilyerich** (Hmm, I think you liked it. ;-) Glad you enjoyed it, I aim to please.), **lmamc** (I like having Kyo back to himself too.), **J Luc Pitard** (Glad you liked the romance, you were certainly waiting long enough for it and a happy couple is more fun to write than one where they fight so much you wonder why they are together at all. There's a long road ahead but I'll try not to make it as long as Midori no Me and you're right about Shinrei, of course. He isn't a bad guy and Kyo is going to figure that out eventually. I'm really looking forward to writing about Tokito's reactions to Muramasa. You know me - romance, drama, and all that good stuff ahead. ;-)),

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

 **Wicked Visitors and Family Problems**

Far away from Edo, around the same time that Kyo and Yuya were having their post-reunion heart-to-heart about what had happened in his absence, Muramasa was busying himself by sweeping his porch and watching over his granddaughter.

It had been a long week since his daughter-in-law and her companions left and he found himself missing them. Aiko was a dear, of course, but it was hard not to dwell on the safety of the rest of his family. The former Elder had been alone for so long after Mayumi's death that he'd forgotten what it was like to have a house with other people living in it instead of being by himself with nothing but the animals to keep him company.

He missed Yuya's smiling face and Kyoshiro's antics. Even Akari had been growing on him before they all left and he really looked forward to seeing them again, safe and sound – hopefully with his son in tow.

A low hum caught his ear and he looked out over the small yard in front of his house as Aiko moved to and fro, dancing to her own tune as usual. The two of them had been working to develop in her the calm concentration needed to control her abilities and he had to admit that, even though she had a very short attention span, she was coming along quite nicely.

The girl was getting better and better at picking up on emotions in general, even ones that weren't overly strong, and he was teaching her to identify what she saw – expanding her repertoire from anger, happiness, sadness, and fear to other things like confusion, anxiety and excitement. She was even starting to notice when he was hiding things from her, nothing serious of course, but she could tell when someone had a secret. They were also working on seeing if she could project her feelings onto others but it was still a bit hit-or-miss - the ability was there but control eluded her whenever she tried to send her emotions on purpose.

All-in-all, Aiko was doing well considering her age and he was proud of the fact that she was even putting forth an extra effort to expand her language skills to better convey her thoughts to him. She was now going back and forth between referring to herself in the third-person and using "I" from time to time and her descriptions of the things around her as well as her own emotions were slowly becoming more vibrant and varied.

The only disappointment was that, as yet, they had not been able to establish contact with her brother again except via dreams. Although they were almost nightly, he could tell that they were more like memories of what Ryu did during the day than anything else and he hadn't been able to glean much outside of descriptions of people. Most often, she saw Shinrei and a dark man that Aiko found very scary and who was always hurting Ryu whenever they came into contact. It took him a short while to surmise that the "dark man" was probably Hishigi and, according to his granddaughter, Ryu was terrified of him.

It was a depressing thought to know that his old friend, who had once loved children, was probably now experimenting on his grandson and he hoped that Yuya and her friends would rescue the boy soon. In actuality, he also wanted them to save as many members of the clan as possible. For all their flaws and arrogance, he still cared for the Mibu deeply. He'd seen so many born and raised over his many years of existence and, even though he was no longer a member of the Taishirou, he still took seriously his oath to protect the clan - they were his beloved family. By now, he was positive that they were in a very bad way – Hishigi's experimentation was testament to that – and he was desperate to know what was going on and how he could help.

 _'Please, Yuya, find my son and bring him back,'_ he prayed silently as he watched Aiko dance around his yard. He wanted a future where children like she and her brother could be happy and carefree once again, not filled with despair and clinging to a king who wore a kind face while plotting cruel acts.

Sighing at his morose thoughts, he decided to concentrate on the present lest Aiko pick up on his tumultuous emotions and continued his sweeping, keeping a half eye on his granddaughter to ensure she didn't wander too far. Although he was intent on keeping himself busy to avoid thinking about things that were depressing, eventually something odd caught his eye and he paused his movements to stare more closely at the little girl.

Muramasa had thought her movements to be random, born out of whatever popped into her head but there was a definite pattern there and as he watched her, he started to realize that he'd seen it before. As she moved her hands to and fro, he substituted swords for the empty spaces between her fingers and realized that she was performing some of the basic moves of the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu school of swordsmanship, which was founded on dance and manipulation of the water element. But the only people who regularly used that technique were Fubuki and, more recently, Shinrei.

 _'Where in the world could she have learned that?'_ he wondered in amazement before realizing that she had probably seen it in her dreams about Shinrei and Ryu.

Her little face was screwed up in concentration and he smiled because her form was actually quite good. Of course, he wasn't about to hand her a sword since she was far too young, but he remembered Akari's words about developing her powers by giving her something to do that evoked emotions – specifically creative things like art or dancing. If he helped her to strengthen her abilities as an empath in tandem with controlling them, perhaps it would open up even more possibilities and they could finally establish direct contact with her sibling.

 _'It's worth a try,'_ he thought with excitement.

Calling Aiko over, he said, "Your dancing is quite good, Ai-Chan. Where did you learn it?"

As expected, she replied cheerfully, "From Shinrei-San. He's so pretty when he dances. Aiko...I...want to dance too."

The Former Elder picked up a brief image of the young man in question as he slowly went through the motions of the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu school and surmised that he was probably trying to teach Ryu how to fight and Aiko was learning by extension.

Deciding that building on her secondhand knowledge couldn't hurt, he asked gently, "Would you like to learn more dancing, Ai-Chan?"

Her head bobbed up and down enthusiastically and he smiled before telling her to wait on the porch while he went to get something. He knew a fair bit about the school, courtesy of his formerly close friendship with Fubuki, and he had written a book years ago that had a detailed list of katas that he could pass onto Aiko. The man didn't expect her to call on the water spirits that were needed to weave death into her beautiful dances, he only wanted to give her something to build on. Still, the thought of passing on his knowledge to his grandchild was exciting and he couldn't stop smiling as he entered his room and proceeded to rifle through the books he'd saved up, looking for the right one.

Muramasa let out a little "ah ha" upon spotting the correct volume and he was reaching for it when an unsettling presence made itself known outside his house at the same time a wave of panic slammed into him. It was sudden, forceful, and invasive and his hands shook of their own accord as a fear that wasn't his own manifested, clawing it's way past his defenses and making his heart clench.

 _'Aiko!'_ he thought in alarm, wondering what could possibly have upset her so much that she had pole vaulted over her weakness at projecting her emotions to the point that he could barely move.

He had to force himself to take deep breaths, trying to get his body to understand that it wasn't his own fear that was paralyzing him, and he now understood what Akari meant about how dangerous an empath could be. He'd been in countless battles and - even while he was dying from a debilitating disease - was stronger than most anyone below the level of the Taishirou. But his hands still trembled and he had to try multiple times to get his fingers to close around his sword. Being able to shut off one's own emotions came part and parcel with being a warrior but doing the same when you were infected with someone else's feelings was another story entirely and it was only through sheer willpower that he was able to make his way with aching slowness to the exterior of his house.

There he was greeted with the bizarre sight of Aiko crouched into a ball up on his porch with her eyes screwed shut while she radiated absolute panic. On the far side of his fire pit stood a sight that was all too familiar, a crowd of masked Mibu soldiers. The only good part about the whole situation was that they were apparently caught up in Aiko's wild thrall as well, stumbling about and sending out thoughts of confusion at the unexpected mental assault. He immediately forgave his granddaughter for upsetting his equilibrium – it was probably the only reason why she was still alive now.

The former Elder took a moment to contemplate how they could possibly have gotten so close without him noticing them. Usually he would have sensed their presence by the time they made it to the edge of the tree line where forest gave way to grass and he hadn't been as distracted as he was when assisting Yuya with her labor and delivery. Either they were getting stronger or he was getting weaker but, whatever the case, he bent down and stroked the top of Aiko's head, projecting soothing thoughts and images to her until she gradually began to calm down and her panic was dialed back to a more manageable level.

She took her time opening her eyes and he kept a wary tab on the soldiers who were also snapping out of their funk and quickly reorganizing themselves.

"Are you alright, Aiko-Chan?" he asked once she was looking at him once more.

The girl nodded and whispered, "There are demons here, Jii-San."

He didn't have time to think too deeply on what she meant because a childish voice, laced with cold malice, said, "Y'know, with as many times as we've sent people here to take care of you, you'd think that moving someplace else would have been a priority. I always heard you were a fool, old man, but I thought for sure that someone like you would have _some_ sense of self-preservation."

Muramasa looked up from his ward and silently guided her to stand behind him as the soldiers in front of him parted to reveal the short form of a young boy as he made his way through the group. He couldn't place the voice but the hairs on the back his neck were standing on end as the youth came to a stop next to his fire pit and he got a good look at him.

At least, he thought the person was supposed to be a "him".

His a lump formed in his throat as he looked into the blue-green eyes staring back at him, framed by shaggy blond hair and accentuated by delicate features that weren't far off from his own. To anyone else, the person staring at him with eyes swimming in hate would have been a boy of about fourteen years of age but, in Muramasa's eyes, he saw a dear face that he hadn't seen in many years. It was a face that belonged to someone who was long dead and he couldn't stop the wealth of emotion from welling up inside of him as he whispered the name of a woman whose very existence had been hidden from the rest of the Mibu clan.

"Hitoki?"

The young man cocked his head to the side, lips moving silently as he tested the name on his lips before shrugging and saying, "I have no idea who Hitoki is and I doubt she has any sort of bearing on my reasons for being here. I've waited a very long time for this meeting, Muramasa," his tone was mocking as he said his name, "and I _do_ so hope that you don't come quietly."

The boy's lips pulled back in a smile that held no warmth and he could feel Aiko's panic rising again. Even without fighting, he knew that the young man was on an entirely different level from Shinrei and he quietly whispered to the girl, "Go in the house, Ai-Chan."

The girl moved to do as she was told but a small, super-fast blur flew in front of her, embedding itself into the wooden floor and showing itself to be a card etched with a strange illustration. The little girl let out a cry and stumbled backwards, landing on her bottom and tearing up almost immediately.

"Ah ah ah, I didn't give you permission to leave. Besides, your presence was specifically requested by the king, little girl. And judging by the performance you gave a few minutes ago, I'd say you're a very special brat, aren't you? I'd just as soon get rid of you so I didn't have to look into those horrible red eyes but we can't all get what we want, can we?" he sighed and shrugged nonchalantly as if he were talking about swatting a fly instead of taking a girl's life.

It was an incredibly cruel thing to say to anyone, let alone a child and Muramasa felt the first stirrings of genuine anger. Whether the boy resembled his deceased sister or not, he'd just as soon die as let the arrogant and murderous youth anywhere near his granddaughter.

The sound of his sword exiting its sheath was melodious as he drew it and said quietly, "I'm afraid I can't allow you to take her."

Those blue-green eyes narrowed for a moment at they took in the sight of the former Elder standing guard in front a frightened girl and then their owner let out a tiny laugh that held more than a little bitterness as he said, "Allow? _You_ don't allow _me_ anything, old man. I do what I want, when I want, and where I want. That's one of the things that irritates me about the legendary Muramasa. You have the nerve to stand there looking all sanctimonious and offended, as if you really gave a crap about anyone but yourself and your _precious_ little Demon Child."

The young man's face twisted into a look of pure anguish as he continued, "But we both know that you'll happily throw away anyone who doesn't fit into your plans. Those people can be left behind and trampled into the ground for all you care."

Even though Muramasa didn't know the boy, there was something about the way the youth spoke that said his own feelings towards him ran into very deep and very angry waters. It wasn't the standard hatred because he'd left the clan. No, this was a dark and personal dislike of him. It was odd to be despised so much by a complete stranger and he wondered who it was that had twisted the child in front of him into such a miserable person.

Trying to get to the bottom of things while also buying time, he asked the boy, "Who are you exactly?"

An offended look crossed that young face before he replied, "I'm the person you abandoned Muramasa. No thanks to you, I am also the person who crawled up from the gutter and seized enough power to become the youngest Taishirou in the history of the Mibu clan. My name is Tokito."

There was a long heavy silence in which time slowed to a crawl and Muramasa could only stare at the person in front of him in shock. His suspicions been right the first time. It wasn't a boy staring at him but a girl, one he hadn't seen in a very long time and his hand flew to his mouth as he realized why he'd thought she looked so much like Hitoki.

 _'Like mother, like daughter,'_ he thought to himself as he tried to figure out what had happened to alter the personality of the little girl he once knew and why a woman - who should have been full grown by now - was running around disguised as an adolescent boy.

"I didn't recognize you outside of the family resemblance but...is it really you?" he asked, disbelieving that sweet little Tokito had turned into a hardened warrior who was clearly chomping at the bit to have a go at him.

"Ah, so now he remembers," Tokito said, "That makes things _so_ much better. Now when I beat you, you'll start to understand just how many sins you have piled up against you. Not the least of which is casting your own child off like refuse."

Perhaps it was the surprise of it all that made him open his mouth and say his next words but he immediately regretted them as soon as they left his lips. His heart was welling up with so much pity that he knew it was nakedly displayed on his face as he said as kindly as he could, "But I do not have a child."

Retribution came quickly and without mercy.

For half of a second, Tokito's face froze into a mask of pure, unadulterated rage and in the next half he was blocking a blow that he felt all the way to his bones as she closed in on him so quickly that he almost missed her change in position. A small movement behind him reminded him that he needed to keep the fight away from Aiko and he took a step forward, pushing Tokito away as he ordered, "Go into the house, Ai-Chan, and get the sword I gave to your mother. I'll come and get you later."

He felt more than saw her nod before heading into the house and Tokito said with mock fear, "Uh oh, planning to tag-team me with your baby princess, old man? No matter what you are plotting, it'll come to nothing in the end."

"You do like to talk, don't you, young lady," Muramasa replied cooly, watching closely with both his physical eyes and his mind's eye to see how she would react.

Her gaze sharpened and he caught a small whisper of her thoughts before she put a lid back on them. He couldn't hear the stray thought very clearly but he sensed an intense loathing for her own sex and he wondered why she seemed to hold so much self-hatred as she leapt backwards and pointed her sword at him.

"Go around the back and get the girl," she said to her troops before addressing him coldly and saying, "I'll handle the traitor in the manner most befitting him."

The soldiers started to do as ordered and he quickly called forth a Mizuchi, sending the blade of air towards the men with the intent to cut down as many as possible before they could reach the girl. It should have been enough to decimate them but he watched in surprise as, instead of tearing them apart, they each raised their weapons and deflected it.

"Oh the look on your face is priceless," Tokito said with a wicked laugh.

"If you were thinking you could sweep them away as easily as you have been doing with our previous soldiers, think again. We've come a long way in the past few years and our current army is on a whole different level. I can't speak to what Hishigi has been doing but, whatever it is, it's a guarantee that the humans will be ripe for the taking once you and the rest of the trash you have been conspiring with are out of the way. No more will the Mibu name be relegated to the realm of fantasy for mere mortals."

She ended the speech with another laugh and Muramasa felt nothing but disgust for such a horrible plan. Humans had their flaws but the Mibu were hardly qualified to go forth and slaughter them by the numbers, setting themselves up as supreme rulers. In fact, the disdain for all things human and the self-aggrandizement rolling off of the young woman reminded him uncomfortably of the conversation he had once had with Tokito's father upon the passing of Hitoki. It had been the beginning of the end for his relationship with his brother-in-law and the rest of the Mibu clan – his disagreement with the belief that the Mibu should take on roles that were the purview of real gods. It was a line he had not wanted to cross and he made his stance known when he left the clan with Kyo in tow.

"My my, it seems like you are speechless. No criticisms for the clan and our plans? Isn't that why you left in the first place? Pity for inferior beings?"

"I am simply trying to wrap my hand around the idea that the clan has fallen as far as it has. Our people are dying and yet Fubuki and the king still speak of conquest?" Muramasa asked, appalled at the very idea.

"They aren't _your_ people anymore, old man," Tokito said, raising her sword, "You abandoned _us!_ And for what? A shack on a mountain and babysitting Kyo's brat? And I'll thank you not to mention Fubuki- _Sama_ 's name so casually!"

He'd clearly hit a nerve and Muramasa was starting to get an inkling of exactly _who_ had twisted his niece so badly – it was a sad thought to contemplate what must have happened between father and child while he was gone. There was so much pain and anger swirling in the young woman and it had been honed to a fine edge against him. He doubted that Tokito would listen if he laid out for her that he really wasn't her father and that the parent who had truly done the abandoning was the man she seemed to worship, if the way she said "Fubuki-Sama" was any indication.

The former Elder sighed heavily and decided that there wasn't enough time to get into things with Tokito. The soldiers were working their way quickly to his granddaughter and she wasn't going to be easy to fight. Nepotism or not, his niece wouldn't have become one of the Four Elders if her abilities weren't on point _and -_ he narrowed his eyes on the sword in her hand - she was good enough to wield one of his so-called demon blades. He hadn't seen Hokuto Shichisei since he escaped the Mibu years ago, but it took significant skill to unlock its secrets and wield it effectively in both its forms.

Muramasa tightened his hand on his blade and altered his stance. He needed to take her seriously from the get-go, otherwise he and Aiko were in trouble. Having to push his body harder than he had in years wasn't going to help either and the ancient warrior didn't want to contemplate fighting the new soldiers on top of that.

"I hate the idea of fighting my own family but it seems I have no choice," he said as he gathered his ki, "For someone who obviously hates me, you seem to have no qualms about wielding one of my blades. Why don't you show me how well you can use my Hokuto Shichisei?"

"With pleasure," Tokito all but purred and closed in on him with blinding speed.

The man threw his sword up and turned it slightly the moment hers made contact, parrying her attack and moving in on the opening provided with a quick slash aiming for her ribs. His niece stepped backwards and closed in again almost immediately, aiming for his neck before switching tact the moment he moved to block her and sending her blade towards his belly. He avoided it easily and they continued back and forth for a while, exchanging blows occasionally while she spent a good portion of time misdirecting her attacks so that he had to keep adjusting his defense to account for her constant feinting.

It wasn't a bad technique and she certainly had the physical power and control to back up her attacks. Unfortunately, her strategy left her open and the former Elder watched her closely, timing his attacks to take advantage of her vulnerabilities. He assumed that it was her age and tumultuous emotions that made her reckless but he still approached her cautiously and bided his time, looking for the right moment because he could feel his illness working against him.

It was in a split-second that he saw it, the opportunity he was waiting for where her guard was down and he drew upon his ki and infused it into his blade, stepping into her perimeter as he said, "Mumyo Jinpuu Ryuu Shin."

He followed his words up by slashing the girl across her shoulder with the intent to disable her sword arm and she spun around, smirking triumphantly at having drawn him in as she cut him across the chest with a deadly stroke. Her eyes gleamed in satisfaction as red blossomed on his torso and she giggled gleefully.

"I can't believe you feel for such an obvious ploy, old man," she said, "As if one of the Taishirou would ever give an enemy so many openings. I've heard so much about your vaunted fighting skills and it only took me a few minutes to take you out."

"I'm not sure why, but it feels like you are making all sorts of assumptions about your ability to defeat me just because you bear a grudge," the ancient warrior said from behind her and her mirth evaporated like morning dew as the image of a mortally wounded Muramasa faded.

She spun around to face him but it was far too late, he followed up the end of his illusion with the next of his attacks. Weaving the leftover ki in his sword into a massive Suzaku that cast an eerie red glow over everything, he launched the furious firebird at his niece and watched as her eyes widened in shock and she raised her sword to block his attack.

If he had been in perfect health, he could have chained yet another attack after the phoenix but as the fiery wings of his move engulfed the girl, he felt something inside of him give a sickening pop and staggered back as a wave of pain engulfed him. His heart felt as if someone were squeezing it and he gagged, feeling his breath come in short as gasps as he started to wheeze. It was a wet, nasty sound and he realized that he was bleeding internally and in real danger of drowning in his own blood before he could finish things with his wayward relation.

As the last remnants of his attack dissipated, revealing a Tokito who was crouched low with Hokuto Shichisei's two halves held crossed in front of her to ward off his attack, he raised his sword once more with the intent to fight to the bitter end. He had taken Tokito's measure and he'd never regretted his illness as much as he did in that moment because he _knew_ that he could take her.

She was strong, quick, accurate – if she wasn't trying to kill him and steal his granddaughter he would have been proud of her - but there wasn't a speck of peace or calm in her mind. Young, immature, and resentful – she was tragedy and drama made flesh and he wept internally for what was and what could have been. Hitoki was doubtless doing the same in the afterlife.

A scream sounded off to the side and he felt panic crawling across his skin, trying to get in again. He turned his head wearily to see Aiko struggling in the grasp of a soldier while she tried to hold onto his final creation and projected her emotions wildly to everyone around her. However, it wasn't as effective the second time around since they were ready for her and therefore could better guard themselves against her abilities. They stumbled a bit but kept on moving and he knew that his time was up.

Muramasa knew he was going to die. There was too much damage done to his body by years of illness and he knew that his internal organs were going to rupture one after the other until he faded away into dust. The only solace he had was that he was going down fighting instead of in his bed and on his back and that, once he was gone, his spirit would complete the link to the kodachi clutched in Aiko's little hands, bringing it to life. Although he'd spent so many years making weapons of destruction, his final masterpiece was one of protection and it gave him a measure of peace.

The former Elder gathered his ki, intending to end both Tokito and his life with one last attack and his niece narrowed her eyes at him as she watched the play of his energy and raised her own power. He wasn't sure what it was that she saw but as the air around him began to hum with power, ruffling his hair and the grass around him with an invisible current, he saw those blue-green eyes shift ever so slightly towards Aiko.

A flash of light streaked overhead and he watched in fascination as more and more appeared – looking like a rain of shooting stars – and collected around Tokito and her swords until she was glowing brightly. Her killing aura was steadily rising, a dark and unpleasant thing that stood in stark contrast to the beauty of her stance. He couldn't have explained how he knew what she was going to do next but he had a fraction of a second to respond as that cold gaze turned calculating and her ki spiked even higher.

He barely had breath left in his body and his muscles were spasming, unwilling to cooperate, but he pushed them anyways, moving through sheer willpower to dart across the yard and position himself between his deadly niece and his sweet granddaughter. He had only a moment to parlay the ki that should have been his ultimate attack into his strongest defensive move and he didn't even have the strength to call out the name of it as a barrier surrounded him and the soldiers carrying Aiko.

There was no time for him to differentiate between friend and foe as Tokito called out, "Blue Skies, Silver Nebula!"

The light surrounding her grew in intensity until he could no longer see her form and then it was hurtling towards them and he raised his ki as high as it could go, gritting his teeth as her attack impacted his barrier and attempted to push through. It was only his determination to protect his precious little girl that allowed him to ride out the pain and maintain his defense. He'd used Genbu, the third attack in the advanced Mumyo Jinpuu Ryuu school and he was content to know that the defensive end of it had succeeded when the white light faded and they were still alive. Unfortunately, it was as far as he could go because his body gave out before he could counter attack with the turtle god's tail.

His vision swam and he felt as if he were being torn in two as he fell to his knees, his hand trembling on his sword as he used it to prop himself upright and bowed his head. Coughs racked his body and he closed his eyes, unwilling to see the grass beneath him turning red as he hacked up his own blood.

"Jii-San," Aiko's voice was a quiet whimper and he moved his suddenly heavy head to look at her, offering her a tiny smile because words were beyond him now.

"Jii-San," she said his name again and there was an edge of hysteria to her voice.

Her face was streaked with tears and he could feel her fear and sadness. He reached out with his mind and gave hers a gentle touch before commanding her to sleep because he couldn't bear the thought of her seeing him as he disintegrated away into nothingness. Those bright red eyes held his for a moment before her lids drooped and she slipped away into unconsciousness. With a sigh of relief that he could die without putting her through extra trauma, he let go of his weapon and fell forward to land face-down on the grass.

Delicate footsteps made their way over to his still form and he listened as Tokito crouched down next to him and poked at his back with a hard finger.

"You just don't know when to die, do you, old man?"

A sigh ruffled the hairs on the back of his and he moaned as she grasped his shoulder and flipped him over without a care about his condition so that she could stare down at him with contemptuous eyes.

"How does it feel to know that you have wasted your life, Muramasa? All that power and knowledge and yet, you're helpless at the very end. Sick, weak, and alone like a human. I pity myself for having you as a father."

She shook her head and reached into the pocket of her shorts, withdrawing a syringe filled with a red liquid that was reminiscent of blood.

"Still, as much as I would love to leave you here to die, the king wants you back alive. We don't have a cure for the disease but this will buy you enough time to see everything you've worked so hard for torn apart. Poor, poor you," she said with a mocking laugh as she pressed the needle to his arm and injected the odd concoction into him.

Muramasa expected to feel even more pain but instead, a feeling of peace came over him and his muscles relaxed. He blinked up at Tokito, suddenly feeling drowsy and watched as if in a dream as she stood and pointed at his house with her newly sheathed sword.

The ancient vaguely heard her give the order to burn the structure to the ground before his thoughts scattered and his world faded to black.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sigh, I hate writing about people being such meanies and Muramasa suffering but it's all for the sake of story. More stuff to come and when next we see Muramasa and Aiko, they'll be over in the Mibu clan. Back to our favorite couple and their friends next chapter. We get to find out what became of Bon and Akira, how Shinrei and Ryu are faring and Kyo and the rest will head out to rescue their friends and family soon.

Anyways, rest assured that Tokito will get the appropriate butt whoopin' in the end and thanks for taking the time to read this chapter. Please let me know what you think. ^_^


	20. Old Longings and Horrible Friends

**Thanks to: lmamc, general zargon** (Tokito will eventually get her beat down and I wish it could have been Muramasa but he's lived way past where he would have in the original story and the Death Disease is nothing to sneeze at. That said, at full health he could have jacked her up without breaking a sweat. :3), **Rinfantasy** (Yeah, the king would love to get his hands on Aiko and so would Hishigi. Kyo and Yuya are going to have a fit when they get back), **Juliedoo** (Tokito is one of those people you just love to hate. I have to keep reminding myself that the Mibu aren't all bad but it's hard when I have to stay true to the characters of the bigwigs in the clan. They are in serious need of a revolution and Kyo is just the man for it), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Can't wait to put Bon, Akira, and Akari in the same room – there's some torment ahead for the Ice Prince and our lovable giant. Mwahahah! Anyhoo, I don't have the heart to kills Muramasa off so no worries there), **kyoandyuya** (Poor Muramasa and Aiko but all will be well, I promise. I thought about giving Ryu powers but decided that, since he takes after his father a lot more than Aiko, it was an okay tradeoff. Aiko has power and is an empath but is more like her mother in that she doesn't enjoy hurting others. Ryu on the other hand, has the power – lots of it, which is why the first king could use his body to bypass Hishigi's seals – and a more violent nature to go along with it. Remember, Kyo is one step away from godhood so Ryu isn't missing out on much since he has his daddy's blood.), **abattles2** (Sorry it was so depressing and a bit on the short side. There will be lighter bits as well, I promise.), **Deby MU** (I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and I know it took a little longer than usual but I've been a bit busy with real life lately. I just don't have the heart to kill Muramasa like that. Ai and Ryu will eventually learn how to fight but they won't really have the same attitude towards it. Ryu is his father's son and Ai is more like her mother in that she doesn't like to hurt others), **magicalnana** (Nope, Muramasa is still kicking)

 **Author's Note:** After the previous chapter, I needed to cleanse my creative palate on some romance. Some bitter parts in this chapter but plenty of sweet as well.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

 **Old Longings and Horrible Friends**

 _"It's time to come home."_

 _The voice was calm and soft but the note of command was there and, even though it was just a dream, Kyoshiro shuddered. He wanted to keep his back turned, hide himself away from the sinister presence of his creator but it was impossible. No matter where he went or who he was with, he was obliged to answer when his master called._

 _Turning around, he stared into those cold red eyes as he said, "I can't. I promised to protect Yuya-San. She's my friend."_

 _"I do not understand Kyoshiro, she is only a regular human. Why choose Kyo's leftovers over returning home and spending time with my precious seer as you were so fond of doing?"_

 _Kyoshiro hated it whenever the king spoke of Sakuya. He always referred to her as_ _ **his**_ _seer and no matter how many complimentary adjectives he tacked on in front of her role, it never changed the fact that she was not a person to the king. The love of his life was nothing more than an object, albeit a useful one, as far as the man who had given him life was concerned._

 _However, he maintained a tight rein on his thoughts as he regarded the king, having learned to give nothing away over his years of servitude. Being a soulless assassin had to have some perks to it._

 _Instead he said calmly, "Yuya-San is hardly ordinary, otherwise Kyo would not have chosen her. She is a good person, Sendai-Sama, and I will not see her come to harm."_

 _Those disconcerting eyes were penetrating as the king said, "You were created to be a king, Kyoshiro. Have you not once considered that you will have power over whether she lives or dies if you would only fulfill the role assigned to you?"_

 _His heart turned over in his chest because he had already given thought to it. It would be so easy to take the offer given to him. He could rule the clan, have Sakuya and keep safe the woman who was as dear to him as a sister. All he had to do was agree to return to the Mibu and become Kyo's enemy once more. To accept the King's yoke once._

 _Of course, the caveat was that the Former King would still pull his strings._

 _Kyoshiro, a puppet always and forever._

 _So far he had kept secret his desire to be Kyo's friend once more, hiding his defection under the guise of doing it for Sakuya. As far as the king knew, he had been trying to find a way to get her away so they could relive the life they had years ago before he defeated his old friend and turned him over to the clan. The explanation held only because the king knew just how deeply his feelings for the miko ran. After all, hadn't he become an assassin once more for her sake? Even going so far as to kill her brother although he hadn't realized who his target was at the time. To his master, his actions were the result of a youthful fantasy and the king was willing to overlook them in favor of getting his strongest warrior back._

 _The temptation to get what he wanted by means of the dark path set out for him by his maker was strong. But no matter how he looked at it, he knew that to follow it was to lose himself and so he kept putting the king off, trying to figure out a way around his dilemma that wouldn't result in him being deprived of everything he cared for. He was not naive enough to believe that he could spare Yuya's life, kill her husband and make everything right after that. She still struggled with his hand in Nozomu's death and for him to do the same to her beloved spouse - it would break her._

 _His own thoughts were too much to bear and he bowed his head respectfully to his master as he said, "I need more time to think about it, my lord."_

 _Usually Kyoshiro told his creator that he was incapable of doing what he asked but this was the first time he'd given any indication that he was actually considering the offer extended to him on a nightly basis. The former king was being "nice" for now but they both knew that he would have to return eventually, his blood demanded it. The only option he had was to go back willingly or not._

 _The eyes staring at him gleamed as their owner picked up on his changing response and a small, knowing smile played about his lips._

 _"You were always my favorite knight," the king said before fading away, withdrawing his mind from the younger man's._

As was often the case, Kyoshiro woke up immediately after, feeling as if he hadn't slept. And truthfully, he hadn't. Not then and not any of the other times his sire reached out to him. The near constant exhaustion was taking it's toll on his body and he scrubbed a hand over his face, wishing he could be anyone other than who he was. So many people strove to be extraordinary and he would have given his right arm to be a normal, unexceptional human.

What he needed was more time. Time to think of a way to get Kyo strong enough to defeat the king and time to figure out how to protect both of the women he cared about. As he looked around his room, cloaked in the gray light of early morning - the precise color of his thoughts - he wondered how he could escape the trap that was rapidly closing in on him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two nights and a day after Yuya first bearded Kyo in his den and reminded him why it was _she -_ and no one else - who was his wife, the couple emerged from his room, dressed and clean. The bathing end of things had been handled by a request from one of the servants navigating the hall outside the guest quarters. And Yuya smiled as she remembered the look on the poor woman's face when the infamous Demon Eyes Kyo opened the door stark naked and ordered her to bring water and supplies from Yuya's room. The female had been torn between paralyzing fear and open appreciation for the form of her ridiculously handsome husband.

Fear won out in the end and the lady scurried away, returning with the demanded items. They took their time washing up and she had to dodge Kyo's wandering hands lest they start all over again. He eventually settled for giving her behind a squeeze and muttering "later" before slinging Tenryo over his shoulder, grabbing her hand, and pulling her from the room.

"Where are the rest of my servants hiding?" he asked as he looked from one end of the hallway to the other.

"Probably hanging out with Tora-San," Yuya replied, tugging him in the direction of Benitora's study - where Mahiro had been looking for the him on the first day of their arrival.

Kyo followed her silently and as they moved through the castle she found the lack of conversation to be a bit awkward. There were still so many things she wanted to ask him about his life among the Mibu but Kyo wasn't the talkative sort and she didn't want to overwhelm him with questions.

As they walked, she noticed that Kyo got a lot of attention from the soldiers they passed – some looks were merely curious while others made her huddle a bit closer to her husband, who tightened his grip on her hand in response to her unspoken disquiet. There were women around too, who watched Kyo with a mixture of fear, awe, and more than a little lust. It was to be expected because Kyo just had that effect on females. He was the perfect mixture of danger and sexiness wrapped up in a form that was confidence personified and she felt just a little proud that he was all hers.

"What's with the grin on your face, woman?" Kyo interrupted her thoughts and she blushed a bit.

"I was just thinking that you really are something else. I can't even fathom how many women have thrown themselves at you over the years."

"Hundreds," he said before a mischievous grin touched his lips and he continued, "Or maybe it's in the thousands."

"Ha ha, very funny," she said, rolling her eyes.

"No worries, I didn't sleep with _all_ of them. Some of them were real dogs."

"Ouch, those poor women. You didn't call all of them Dog Face, did you?" she knew he used the name to tease her but she hoped he wasn't too mean to the women he turned down. No woman enjoyed being called ugly.

"Nah, that title belongs to only one woman," he shot her an amused glance and said, "It's a reminder for me to keep my cool otherwise I might do something about the image floating in my head right now."

He was baiting her on purpose and Yuya _knew_ that she shouldn't inquire any further but she couldn't resist biting and asked, "And what image is that, Kyo?"

"The way your breasts bounced while you rode me," he said with a straight face and she stumbled, cheeks flaming immediately.

"Seriously?! Do you _ever_ think of anything else? Dear Kami, why are you such a perv?" she asked, doubly mortified when a tiny snicker sounded off to the side to indicate that one of the soldiers had caught her husband's blunt statement.

"First, there is nothing perverted about picturing my woman enjoying herself and I make no apologies for getting horny over it. And second, don't ask a man what's on his mind if you don't think you'll like the answer," he said, smirking as he shot her a heated glance, "It's usually along the lines of fighting, alcohol, or sex. Just because you women analyze things all the time, that doesn't mean men are doing the same. Sometimes we just want to get drunk and see something naked."

There wasn't a speck of apology in his tone and she responded with a dry, "I'll keep that in mind."

They walked on in silence for a while and she didn't expect him to say anything else and was therefore shocked when he said quietly, without a trace of his earlier mirth, "I dreamed about you, you know."

Yuya looked up at him and he kept his eyes focused straight ahead, deliberately avoiding her gaze as he continued his confession, "Even though I didn't know who you were, I knew you were someone important."

"What happened in your dreams?" his wife asked and his lips pulled back into a leer that had her saying hurriedly, "Nevermind, I can guess the contents."

"Spoilsport," he murmured jokingly before sobering up and saying , "I can't explain it. I just...wanted you."

He chuckled and there was a touch of self-ridicule in the sound as he said, "Can you imagine? _Me_ panting over someone I didn't even remember. That's some kind of hold you have on me, Yuya."

The bounty huntress wasn't sure if she should apologize for having that much control over her husband or take additional pride in the fact that he was that enamored of her.

Since she wasn't sure how to react, she focused on the strangeness of him grasping her hand in public and asked, "Is that why you are holding onto me in front of all everyone? Do you think I'm going to up and disappear?"

Kyo squeezed her fingers just a hair tighter for a second before he said gruffly, "You make me sound like some kind of kid. I'm holding your hand because I want to. There's no point in pretending you don't mean anything when half the castle heard you screaming my name the past few hours."

Yuya flushed and decided to shut up and count herself fortunate that he was willing to forgo his natural aversion to open displays of affection. Her husband preferred showing over telling and he was telling her - in one of the few ways he knew how - that she was still loved and that he was happy they were together again.

The young woman squeezed his hand back and said softly, "I love you too, Kyo."

A smile, so quick that she almost missed it, touched the corner of his lips and he replied, "Don't put words in my mouth, woman."

"Too late, you said it once and you can't take it back. But don't worry, I'll still respect you in the morning," she said teasingly and he chuckled as they came to a stop in front of Benitora's study.

Yuya was about to knock when the door slid open and Mahiro stormed out with a small piece of paper clutched in her hand. The young woman had enough time to see that the room was empty before the kunoichi closed the door again.

The woman took one look at Kyo and her face immediately morphed into open dislike as she said accusingly, " _You_! You are the reason why Hidetada-Sama keeps wanting to run off. I don't understand it! Why is it that everyone seems to want to chase after a murderer like you? It's bad enough that you managed to seduce Yuya-San into accepting whatever version of a relationship you have but now he's talking about leaving _again_. He didn't even tell me directly, just left a note!"

The bounty huntress' first reaction was to take offense at the kunoichi's rude assessment of her marriage to Kyo but something about the way the other woman's eyes shone gave her tongue pause. Mahiro was genuinely upset over the idea of Benitora leaving and realization dawned on her immediately.

Kyo, however, was not so astute about the feelings of others and said coldly, "Whatever problem you have with me, keep my wife out of it. I overlooked it the last time but if you bring her into again, I won't hesitate to send you to join your dearly departed sister."

Yuya had learned something of Kyo's past with Mahiro from Muramasa, who was the assassin's brother-in-law, and she cringed at the harshness of her husband's threat. Even though she knew that Kyo couldn't have possibly killed her sister, Mayumi, Mahiro would only see a killer who had gotten off free and was threatening to do the same to her. She'd once asked Muramasa why he hadn't set his sister-in-law straight and his response had been that Kyo felt responsible for his wife's death and would reject any interference in what he saw as a personal matter.

The bounty huntress had promised her father-in-law that she would respect her husband's decision but that promise was being put to the test as Mahiro's expression went from stricken to furious.

 _'You really put your foot into it this time, Kyo,'_ she thought in resignation as she stepped between the two.

"Kyo, that was uncalled for," she said sternly before turning to look at Mahiro and saying, "And the relationship between my husband, myself, and our friends is our business."

Those doe-brown eyes narrowed on her and the kunoichi said, "You say that but you don't know Kyo like I do. He's treacherous and I can't entrust him with Hidetada-Sama's life."

The bounty huntress understood that the other woman was running on emotion – she knew that state very well – but she wasn't about to let _everything_ she said pass and replied just as cooly, "I think that someone who never even made it as far as Kyo's bed," Mahiro flinched, "is not qualified to comment on how well she knows _my husband_. However, Benitora-San is an adult like _all_ of us," she looked at her husband and the assassin in turn, "and I think we can and should sit down and talk about this calmly."

She held the woman's eye and she could see the woman fighting her own feelings before she nodded slightly, turned, and walked off. Apparently, sitting down for a chat with the heir in question was going to have to wait until a later time.

"Looks like you still have your claws, woman," Kyo said with a hint of pride in his tone and she turned to glare at him.

"And I'm so tempted to use them on you too. Honestly Kyo, how obtuse can you be? She's already struggling with being in love and you had to bring up her sister?"

He gave her a blank look and his wife sighed as she said, "Muramasa told me the details while you were gone. I'm not going to mess with whatever weird code of honor you are applying to this situation but can you please try to keep the peace?"

"Why?" he asked simply, cocking his head to the side.

"Because people say and do stupid things when they're in love and I don't think Mahiro-San knows what to do with her feelings."

It finally dawned on her husband what she was saying and he gave her an incredulous look as he replied, "So she," he jerked his head in the direction the other woman had gone, "likes the Tiger?"

Yuya nodded and said, "I'm pretty sure she does."

Kyo seemed to turned the idea over in his head a few times before shrugging and saying, "There's no accounting for taste. But," he frowned, "she had no business bringing you into the conversation, regardless of our history together."

His scowl was so cute that Yuya relented instantly and offered him a grateful smile as she said, "And I appreciate the concern. Still, and I'm almost scared to ask, you weren't _really_ planning to kill her if she did anything, were you?"

Her husband gave her a look that said he was completely serious and she sighed, running a hand through her hair as she said, "You can't kill everyone who says something crazy to me."

One brow went up and his expression said, _"Of course I can._ "

She couldn't lie, his overprotectiveness was a turn on and he gave her a sly grin as she said resignedly, "I _know_ I'm not supposed to find death threats attractive but, as always, you are the exception to the rule. You really haven't changed a bit, you know that?"

"Face it, woman, you wouldn't have me any other way," he said smugly.

"I don't know, from what I hear there are all sorts of ways I can have you," she said huskily, without missing a beat, before flushing and covering her mouth with her hand.

Yuya hadn't meant to say that out loud. She might have been bold about getting Kyo to accept their relationship again but saying something so suggestive outside of their bedroom was another thing entirely.

His brows shot up in surprise before his eyes narrowed into a shrewd look and, after checking to make sure they were alone in the corridor, he opened the door to Benitora's study, pushed her in and closed it behind them. Once inside, he sat Tenryo down, maneuvered her around until her back was against the wall, and placed his hand next to her head.

Kyo's lips formed a lecherous grin as he leaned in close and said in a chiding tone, "And you had the nerve to call _me_ a pervert. First you get on me for dwelling on what we did yesterday and then you proposition me. What happened while I was gone to bring out this flirtatious side?"

She winced at how inconsistent he made her sound and reached out to shyly touch the tips of her fingers to his chest, drawing them lightly over the fabric of his kimono as she replied, "I just picked up a few odds and ends in my travels and thought it was incredibly unfair that there are so many things we can do together and all I got was a few days with you."

She didn't intention to send mixed signals – prim one moment and provocative the next. Rather, it was the sudden realization that she had officially graduated from untutored girlhood to a woman who understood what it meant to want a man. It was the knowledge that she _needed_ his arms around her and his lips and hands on her skin. And her struggle to articulate it as clearly to him as he did his desire for her.

There were still so many things unsaid and acts of love that she had dreamed about to comfort herself when she woke up during her sleepless nights and remembered that he wasn't there. She could argue that they had just spent the last day and two nights making up for that but, looking at him now, she knew that it wasn't enough. It wasn't just physical fulfillment that she sought from him but the emotional kind as well. His understanding and acceptance of the adulthood she had won through lonely evenings, tears, and frozen anticipation for something she had only tasted briefly before she lost him.

It had truly been a long four years.

There was no hiding the longing in her voice and his red gaze softened as he reached up to brush the knuckles of his free hand across her cheek and said, "I can see it clearly, that fire in your eyes. It wasn't a lie when you said you always want me, was it?"

She shook her head mutely.

"There is no shame in telling me your needs, woman," he continued, "Haven't you realized by now that I like that side of you too? I've always known you had a lot of passion locked up inside, you just needed to catch up to me and figure out it was there."

Kyo's stare was intense as he followed his words up by removing his hand from her face and bracing it on the wall opposite his other appendage so that she was completely boxed in.

He lowered his head until the air between them grew thick and his breath fanned across her lips as he said in a low voice, "You waited so long for me. And I liked what saw and felt of that need. I can't tease you about being a kid anymore. Won't you tell me more about what you want from me? What you've been saving up?"

His lips connected with hers in a kiss that was so light she couldn't suppress a moan of disappointment when he ended it far too quickly and he laughed quietly as he said, "I like that sound. Question is, do I see how many more of those I can get out of you or do I let you go and get the rest of my servants together?"

Kyo bent down further and placed a kiss at the spot where her jaw met her neck, indicating where his preference lay, and she sighed as she reached up to stroke his hair.

She indulged herself by running her hands through his red-black strands for a little bit before saying half-heartedly, "I really should get our friends. Bon-San and Akira-San are due any day now and they are probably wondering what became of us."

It was the truth. The Shogun had requested Bontenmaru's presence - he was still a political figure after all - and the One-Eyed Dragon had already been en route to Edo before they even made it to the city. It was assumed that Akira was still with him.

Yuya had already told Kyo about their imminent arrival earlier but he didn't seem to care. His mouth moved steadily south and his hands left the wall to travel down her sides, lightly squeezing her breasts on the way down and making an appreciative sound in the back of his throat before moving on to her hips.

"Kyo," she weakly tried to push his head away so that she could gather her wits and remind him of where they were, but he was having none of that.

She felt the scrape of teeth across her skin before he said, "Kyoshiro and the rest already know what we were doing by now and I didn't dream about Bon, Akira, or anyone else you keep trying to drag into this conversation while I was away. It wasn't any of them laying beneath me or moving above me yesterday. And they don't own the body hidden beneath these clothes."

He gathered up the fabric of her kimono until he could slip his hands beneath her hem and she realized that he was serious about seducing her in Benitora's study. The warmth low in her belly was testament to how much she craved his touch and a part of her _really_ wanted Kyo to continue, but good sense dictated that she make an effort to stop him and she tugged at his hair in earnest.

"Come on, Kyo, this really isn't the time or the place," she said as sternly as she could.

"That's not what your body is saying," he replied and she was caught between panic and desire as his hands crept up the sides of her thighs.

The bounty huntress was about to try and push him away bodily when he froze and let out a low growl. He pulled his hands away with slow reluctance and stood tall once more before turning to stare at the door with an annoyed expression.

"Looks like you are going to get your wish, woman," he said with a sigh and she quickly adjusted her clothing as she caught onto his meaning.

It was just in time too because the door slid open with a bang and Akari poked his head in, took one look at her husband, and broke into a huge smile as he said in a singsong voice, "There you are, Kyo!"

He flitted into the room with staff in hand and grabbed Kyo by the shoulders, turning him this way and that so he could get a good look at him before giving a little nod and saying, "Yup, it's you. In the flesh and none the worse for wear. Oh Kyo, I was absolutely devastated to hear what happened to you. There's been so much that happened since we all parted ways years ago. I can't believe you married someone else before I had a chance to make good on our promise and she isn't even as beautiful as me."

No one was surprised that the shaman went from absolute joy to theatrics at the drop of a hat but Yuya took it all in stride with an internal sigh, it was just Akari's way.

Kyo, who was clearly amused by the whole tirade, nodded along with the other man and replied, "Yeah, a lot of stuff happened but you're still as lively as ever, I see. Don't worry too much, Dog Face might not be as pretty as you but she makes up for it in other ways."

Akari perked up as if Kyo had given him the compliment of the century and shot Yuya a cunning look that didn't bode well at all and she had a feeling that fun was about to be had at her expense very shortly.

"I'll just bet she does," he murmured suggestively before asking, "Did she happen to tell you about the time she caught me in the altogether?"

The bounty huntress tensed up and Kyo's eyes slid over to her as he said, "She mentioned it. Sounds like you got an eyeful. Normally I'd have a problem with it but, from what I hear, she got even."

The shaman's face took on a woe-is-me expression and he placed the back of his gloved hand against his forehead as he said, "It was just awful, I tell you. Did I forget to mention that she isn't feminine at all?"

"Yeah, she can be a bit rough sometimes but so are you," her husband said.

"Oh, you're so mean, Kyo," Akari said in a voice that wasn't the least bit offended, "Anyways, she told me that I was handsome – can you imagine - and after we had a nice chat I thought that, since she got to you before me, she could at least spill the details about my would-be husband."

Those violet eyes were dancing and Yuya could feel her face turning red because she knew where this conversation was going. Kyo, the jerk, missed nothing and his eyes were laughing as well, indicating that she wasn't going to get any help from that quarter.

"So, what did you ask for?" her idiot husband prodded.

"Well, I said that since she got a nice look at my, ahem, attributes, she could at least tell me how I compared to you."

Kyo's eyebrows rose and his lips spread into an anticipatory grin which was mirrored on the shaman's face and Yuya eyed the door, wondering if she could escape her impending humiliation. Her mate nixed that plan, though, by reaching out and catching her hand, keeping her from running off before he could hear the end of Akari's story.

"And what did she tell you, Akari?"

"She got this absolutely ecstatic look on her face and said there was _no comparison_ ," he drew the last two words embarrassingly out.

"Oh she did, did she?" Kyo asked, looking all sorts of arrogant.

Akari managed to manufacture tears in the corners of his eyes as he said, "Yes, and apparently it's true because she kept you all to herself for almost two days and all we heard were the most unladylike noises spilling out into the hall and _someone_ ," he shot her a significant look, "kept yelling your name," a delicate sigh full of regret followed as he finished with, "I've been missing out."

It was official, she had died and gone to hell and she wondered if the floor could open up and suck her down so she wouldn't have to look at Akari, who looked downright catty, and Kyo, who was outright laughing at her expense.

She settled on getting angry since she couldn't disappear and glared at the other man as she bit his name out in hard syllables, "A...KA...RI!"

The shaman let out a tiny shriek and darted behind Kyo as the young woman lunged for him and he smirked at her over her husband's shoulder as he said in mock-distress, "Save me Kyo, your wicked wife is after me for being the better woman!"

Yuya tried to move around the Thousand Killer but Akari kept him in between the two of them and she eventually settled for folding her arms and sticking her tongue out at the shaman who did the same to her.

Kyo just kept on laughing and she turned her back on both of them as her useless spouse said, "Looks like you found another friend, Akari. Good for you."

Yuya was tempted to deny it just to get even but Akari's response stopped her cold as he replied, "I did, didn't I. She's loud, obnoxious and easy to tease but she's fun, almost cute, and nice to the point of idiocy. I don't know where you found her but I might like her a little bit...even if she isn't at sexy as I am."

The bounty huntress turned to stare at the shaman who was giving her one of his rare genuine smiles and she flushed again because she still didn't know what to do with an Akari who was sort-of complimenting her.

Kyo gave her a long look before walking over to touch her shoulder and saying, "She is something, isn't she? If you weren't you, I'd warn you away from her since all sorts of stupid men with a deathwish seem to think she's hot stuff."

She had no idea what he meant but Akari evidently did and he sighed helplessly as he replied, "I know what you mean. I've already spotted at least one guy, besides you, right under her nose who thinks she's wonderful and it went right over her head. I could give her a love confession right now and she wouldn't get it."

Her husband nodded and lifted a piece of blonde hair over her shoulder as he said, "No surprise there."

"She's so slow," the shaman said as if the young woman was a hopeless case.

"Yeah, she is," her husband agreed and Yuya compressed her lips together. Why were her closest friends so rude?

"Oh well, she'll either understand it someday or she'll leave a trail of broken hearts behind her just like Akari-Tan," the shaman said and Yuya refrained from mentioning that she didn't believe for one second that, with his mischievous and thorny personality, he had legions of people pining for him.

"Incidentally...," Akari said sweetly, with a smile that didn't bode well as his voice trailed off.

Kyo let out a distracted "hmm" before tugging his wife quickly to the side and stepping out of the way of the pointed end of the shaman's shakujo, which slammed into the wall and went all the way through.

"Dang, so close!" the shaman exclaimed as he jerked the staff loose and pouted at Kyo who was grinning in return.

"I spent so much time training to hit you in the face," Akari said and Yuya had to recover from nearly being impaled along with Kyo before it dawned on her what he was referring to.

"I thought you would have given up on that by now," she said incredulously.

The other man cocked his head and replied, "Well, it was partly for old times sake and who says I can't be Kyo's second wife?"

He returned her shocked look with an impish grin and she knew he was joking.

Kyo chuckled and his arm found its way around Yuya's waist as he said, "Too late. One woman is already more trouble than I like to handle. Besides, she already managed to land a hit on me."

Akari's eyes widened and he said, "What?! No fair! I even lost to her in that?"

He folded his arms over his bean bun boobs and stared at Yuya with a considering look before saying, "I guess that leaves only one more option. If Kyo won't take another wife, how would you like a second husband? I can be a man. Just. For. You. Yuya- _Chan._ "

He enunciated the flirtatious words slowly and winked at her, bringing a blush to her cheeks.

Kyo chuckled even harder and Yuya glared at the shaman because he was trying to get a rise out of her again.

"I don't know why I even bother with either of you," she muttered.

Her husband tightened his arm around her and bent down to say suggestively, "I can think of a few reasons why you put up with _me_."

She groaned and hid her face in his chest, silently cursing the two demons who were laughing at her expense. Kyo for being himself and Akari for being just male enough to find dirty jokes hilarious.

Fortunately, salvation came in the form of Kyoshiro who opened the door with breathless enthusiasm and a bright smile. He'd obviously been running and she was both relieved and worried because, while his entrance broke the cycle of torture by her husband and the shaman, he looked terrible. It was plain as day that he still wasn't sleeping well and she resolved to ask him about it after he delivered whatever message had sent him scurrying to find them.

He took a moment to catch his breath before saying, "They're here at last."

There was need to ask who "they" were and Yuya beamed at him as she said, "That's great. With Akira and Bon are here, we can finally leave."

"Yes, although there is one more person with them."

The bounty huntress paused in her celebration and cocked her head to the side quizzically as she asked, "Who?"

"Well, there's a woman with them. Tell me, was Bontenmaru-San married when you saw him last?"

"No," she replied with a frown.

"Well, this woman is claiming to be Bontenmaru-San's wife."

The other three occupants in the room stared at him blankly before she and Akari exclaimed in unison, "WHAT?!"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ah, romance and comedy is so much fun to write after putting out a depressing chapter like the last one. I hope Yuya didn't seem wishy-washy but I thought long and hard about it and decided that, within the context of this story, it wouldn't make sense for her to get over her feelings from the past few years in a matter of a day. Kyo didn't remember her so it wouldn't be as hard for him to go back to the way he was but there wasn't a day that went by that she wasn't thinking of him and she had to grow up in a hurry because of what happened. I'm trying to be semi-realistic but I'll be honest, it's just a shameless excuse to add more romance. ;-P

More fun and drama ahead and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think.


	21. Pretend Wives and Scary Shamans

**Thanks to: emi21** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and the way I write the characters and their personalities, I try to be as accurate as possible. As for Bon's wife, you'll see.), **abattles2** (Happy you enjoyed the chapter, pervy Kyo is still fun to write and Yuya has needs too.), **general zargon** (I'm happy I made you laugh and thanks for noting the typo, I thought I caught all of them.), **Deby MU** (More romance between Kyo and Yuya ahead and you'll see what's going on with Okuni. I'm glad you liked the comedy and don't worry, I have no plans to drop this fic.), **kyoandyuya** (LOL, Kyo and Akari both enjoy teasing Yuya and you just can't put the two of them in the same room with her or they're bound to take advantage. I actually do think there were slight hints of Benitora feeling something for Mahiro in the manga. I have to go back and look it up but it seems like there was a moment where he was experiencing strong emotions and Mahiro came to mind out of the blue. As for the kids, Aiko is powerful too but Ryu is more likely to tap into the destructive side of his abilities. Aiko is more human with regards to her emotions but that doesn't make her weak, just not as aggressive/sociopathic as her sibling. Not sure why my fic wouldn't show up but I do know that M-rated fics are hidden by default unless you use the filter to show them. Still, I'm happy you think my fic is awesome. ^_^), **magicalnana** (I'll slip more chapters like the last one in where I can. I'm a hopeless romantic and laughing is always better than crying. I'm happy this made your day.), **Rinfantasy** (You'll see about Okuni. Glad you enjoyed Kyo and Akari's tagteam), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Funny thought about Akira in pigtails but I think I'll save that for losing a bet with Akari. ;-) Akari is Akari, a loveable but mischievous mess. Also, I have plans for Muramasa, he deserves to see Kyo fulfilling his potential after everything he went through to get him away from the Mibu and train him.), **lmamc** (Lol, you'll see.), **Azure Shine** (Wow, thanks for taking the time out to leave, not one, but three reviews. I'm happy you are still enjoying the story), **Ray** (Thank you so much! I'm happy you are enjoying the stories and I hope I don't disappoint you in the future. ^_^),

 **Author's Note:** A lot of people asked if Bon's wife is Okuni and all I can say is, read the title of this chapter. ^_^ You'll see what's up down below. ;-) There might be a few typos here and there as I rushed through the beta-ing but hopefully it's readable.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

 **Pretend Wives and Scary Shamans**

They didn't waste any time in following Kyoshiro to the room where their friends were waiting and Yuya and Akari speculated out loud on how Bon had gotten married without them finding out, as well as what sort of woman he could have possibly married.

Kyo watched the two of them and marveled at how quickly his wife had forgiven his old companion for ganging up with him against her and how comfortable Akari was with Yuya. The other man was incredibly distrustful of pretty much everyone except for himself and the other Shiseiten and he would have expected him to give Yuya more trouble than he had thus far. Instead, the duo were clearly getting along and Akari seemed to be just as fascinated as the rest of their crew with the bounty huntress.

Truthfully, he was only half-kidding about not worrying about the shaman around his wife because, at the end of the day, Akari was still a man and a warrior and Yuya was Yuya. She was the exception to everyone's rules and his old companion was incredibly weak against anyone who was genuinely kind and accepted his idiosyncrasies. And his woman was the kindest and most welcoming person he'd ever known.

The only comfort he took was in the fact that, like the rest of his Generals, romantic love was a foreign concept to Akari. Selfish, extremely vain, and scarily possessive of the few friends he had, the shaman didn't truly understand self-sacrificing love outside of the fairytale ideal version of it.

Kyo himself had scoffed at the idea of true love until he met Yuya and he had to give her the utmost respect for getting under the skins of himself and the other fighters in their group. Given enough time, even Akari would probably fall a little bit in love with her if he hadn't already. They'd already formed a close enough bond of friendship.

It made the Thousand Killer glad, yet annoyed him at the same time because the deeply jealous and self-serving side of him wanted to lock his wife away and keep her all to himself. But the practical side of him said that _he_ , and no one else, was the person she loved the most and that it didn't hurt for her to be surrounded by friends who would do their best to protect her.

As he observed her in the light of day - and with their clothes on - he saw a woman who had grown ever more beautiful, both inside and out. He found her just as intoxicating as ever, if not more so, with the added spice of maturity. Yuya was strong, warm, passionate, loyal, and sexy – he was still reeling over that last one - with just the right amount of innocence to keep her from understanding the sort of power she wielded over some of the strongest fighters in existence. Who was he kidding? The power she wielded over _him_.

It was a disconcerting thought, to be at the mercy of someone else, but he didn't regret his relationship with the young woman. The most wanted man in the country had already accepted that his wife loved him and that he reciprocated her feelings and he was long past the point where he could go back to where he was before he met her. The man who had once wrapped his hands around her neck and threatened to kill her had been replaced by one who would rather slit his own throat than harm a hair on her pretty, blonde head.

As he watched, Akari leaned over to whisper something to the woman in question and her ears turned pink before she looked back at him with those jewel-like green eyes. A smile played about her lips and her gaze clearly conveyed her feelings for him - love embellished with longing. As her small fingers reached up to smooth a strand of hair from her face before she turned back around, he found his eyes drawn to her neck and remembered what had almost happened in Benitora's study before they were interrupted.

Kyo had every intention of picking up where they left off once things were settled with Bontenmaru and Akira. There was no way he could listen to her tell him that she'd spent their years apart missing the things they did in bed and longing for more without answering her need. His own frustration of the past years was mirrored in her soulful eyes and yet, _she_ had been forced to carry the additional burden of knowing where he was, why he was there, and understanding that she lacked the power to do anything about it.

Empathy had never been his strong point but he could clearly picture how helpless she must have felt, how alone she was as she carried their children with the knowledge that he wouldn't be there when they were born, and how much she must have missed his presence. Nighttime would have been especially hard for her, not just because that was a good time to talk a bit and physically express their feelings for each other, but because she simply enjoyed being close him.

Yuya, he'd discovered to his initial horror after their first night together, was fond of snuggling and would unconsciously wrap her limbs around him. It had made him uncomfortable in the beginning, since he had spent years separating sex from affection, but he softened just as quickly the moment he saw her smile contentedly in her sleep and whisper his name. There was no putting into words what the image of her nestling up to a killer like him and taking comfort in his presence did to him.

All that love, trust, and desire that she had shown him when they got married was still there but time and distance had made it more intense, more potent and he silently promised himself that he would show her everything that she'd been missing and more. It was the least he could do to make up for his absence.

They reached the room where Bon, Akira, Sasuke, Benitora, and the woman claiming to be Bon's wife were and a guard stopped them outside the door, informing them that "Date-Sama" was currently meeting with the Shogun about an important matter. Akari and Yuya pouted and went off to the side to speculate some more while Kyoshiro hesitated for a moment before approaching Kyo and leaning against the wall next to him.

It was obvious that the younger man wanted to say something to him and Kyo merely waited, only vaguely curious as to what it was. Those blue eyes moved from him to Yuya then the closed door before he sighed and scratched his head.

Losing patience with his old enemy's fidgeting, Kyo said in an annoyed voice, "Spit it out, already."

Kyoshiro gave a little start and replied quickly, "Sorry, Kyo, I just don't know how to ask what I want. I wasn't sure if you were...still mad at me for what happened...with Sakuya all those years ago."

Kyo gave him a hard look before closing his eyes briefly and saying, "I _should_ kill you after the mess you made of my life..."

He felt rather than saw the other man tense up and opened his eyes to enjoy the sight of the man stewing in his own apprehension before continuing, "...but my woman is still alive and none the worse for wear. As far as she's concerned, you two are _friends_ ," he said the word sarcastically, "and she isn't entirely wrong when she says we never would have met if it hadn't been for your screw-ups."

That wasn't the exact way Yuya had put it. She'd been a lot kinder and diplomatic and he hadn't contradicted her because she'd been naked at the time and that trumped all other outside matters.

A relieved smile touched Kyoshiro's lips and he gave a tiny laugh as he said, "Yuya's a wonderful woman. I'm really happy that you found your other half and you'd be proud of the way she handles herself. And speaking of women, I was wondering if you know how Sakuya is doing?"

His comment about Yuya handling herself sparked off a memory of his wife looking abashed as she told him about her job hunting bounties and the danger she had put herself in. He frowned at the former assassin and folded his arms as he replied, "I can't say anything about Sakuya, it's not like they let me see her."

"Oh," the other man's shoulders visibly sagged and the air around him grew heavy as he said, "I've been worrying about her for the past few years."

"Is that supposed to be something new?" Kyo replied.

His former friend grimaced and said, "Yeah, I'm always worrying about her. I've just been having some weird dreams and I wanted to...," he trailed off and shook his head, pressing his lips together and looking over at Yuya.

Kyo wasn't particularly interested in hearing about whatever dreams Kyoshiro was having but he _was_ concerned about the earlier comment that hinted towards the other man's involvement in Yuya's wilder exploits while he was gone. He was all for his wife getting stronger but the thought of coming back and finding out that she was dead or permanently damaged made his hackles rise. Since they were still waiting to see their companions, he switched gears and decided to find out more about what Kyoshiro and his wife had been up to.

Keeping his voice carefully neutral, he said, "So, according to my wife, the two of you have been running all over the country hunting bounties."

The former assassin gave a start and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as he replied, "Well, about that... It's like I said, she handles herself well but she also likes to take risks. It's bad enough that she has to play the seductress sometimes but her situational awareness could use some work as well."

Kyo didn't hear anything past the first half of the last sentence. Instead, he latched onto one word and, glaring at Kyoshiro, repeated, "Seductress?"

The other man sucked in his breath and offered him a shaky smile as he said, "Did I say seductress? I meant to say that sometimes she acts as the bait," realizing that didn't sound any better he took a step back and said, "Actually, forget I said anything. I promised her I wouldn't tell you and she'll kill me if she finds out."

That just threw even more oil on the fire.

The Thousand Killer gripped Tenryo tighter, controlling his temper by sheer force of will as he said in a dangerously soft voice, "Forget about her killing you. I'm standing right here."

Kyoshiro nodded slowly and backpeddled a few more steps, his idiotic grin in place as he held his hands up and said, "Now now, Kyo. It wasn't as bad as all of that."

Kyo was about to answer him with the sharp edge of his sword when the door opened up behind him and the Shogun himself exited with a guard in tow. The most powerful man in all of Nippon paused, assessing the group before him and Kyo recalled his visit from when he was in the jail cell, back before he remembered who he was. Those keen eyes appraised the people waiting outside the room and Yuya paused, flushing and offering him a bow or respect and nudging Akari to do the same. Kyoshiro followed suit and the only one who stood tall was Kyo.

The Shogun raised a brow at his impertinence and the soldiers around him laid hands on their swords, glaring at the infamous Demon Eyes Kyo who was not offering their lord the appropriate respect.

"I see that those eyes of yours are still as rebellious as ever," Ieyasu Tokugawa said.

"Rebelling against you would require me to be under your rulership in the first place. I am not of your people," Kyo replied.

"Such an insolent...," one of the guards began but his ruler held up his hand, silencing his outburst.

"I've heard something along those lines from my son. That you are a member of the Mibu clan. Tell me, do you aspire to control this country like the rest of your kind? Is that why you fought at the battle of Sekigahara?"

Kyo let out a derisive snort and said, "I do what I want and anyone who gets in my way gets cut down. I don't care about you, your men, or whoever wants to fight against you. I fought at Sekigahara because the battle was in the way, nothing more and nothing less."

The Shogun stroked his beard and his eyes slid over to Yuya, appraising her silently - much to Kyo's annoyance. The older man let just enough time pass to make Kyo mildly uncomfortable before he addressed his wife directly and said, "If there is one thing I don't quite understand, young lady, it's the relationship between the two of you. I don't believe I've ever seen a couple so opposite of each other. From the stories told to me by Hidetada, you strike me as a woman of good sense. I do not quite understand how or why you have attached yourself to one of the most dangerous men I have ever met. It seems obvious to me that he would bring you great misery."

Yuya, whose head had snapped up so that she could look at her ruler in surprise, slowly brought herself upright once more and stared at him fully. Emerald eyes flicked over to look at her husband before she returned them to the Shogun and said, "Kyo isn't a bad man, my lord."

She ignored the sounds of disbelief that came from the soldiers flanking the politician and continued, "I know that he is rough around the edges but he's done so much for me and hasn't made me the least bit miserable. Well, outside of teasing me a little," she laughed a bit, more at herself than anything else, and Kyo hid a smirk because her mannerisms were so disarming that even the Shogun relaxed slightly.

His wife looked at him once more and it was clear to anyone with eyes how she felt about him even if she didn't voice it as she said, "Besides, he hasn't hurt anyone since he's been here. Shouldn't that tell you something?"

"You say that but how do I know he will not change his mind? I've seen him on the battlefield, it's not a performance I would care to have repeated in my own home."

"Please forgive my impertinence, my lord," Yuya said, directing a steady gaze towards the older man that held no fear, only calm certainty, "But Kyo is powerful enough to destroy this building and its inhabitants without exerting himself and he is not the sort to play games. If he wanted any of us dead, then we would be dead. I cannot say whether my connection to him is going to wind up with a happy or sad ending, but I _can_ say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he has never hurt me and he never will."

She ended her address with a gentle smile that she directed at, first the ruler, and then her husband.

Silence fell as the Shogun gave her a thoughtful look before giving Kyo his attention once more and saying, "What an admirable speech. I'd say you should learn from your wife, Demon Eyes Kyo, but I have a feeling that you simply aren't reclined towards respect," he sighed and motioned for his guards to follow as he finished, "I doubt that I will ever be able to trust you – such sentiments are for my son, who is of a more forgiving sort - but I will commend you on your choice of spouse. Good women are hard to find."

With that unexpected compliment, he nodded and Kyo returned the gesture – much to the other man's surprise. The soldiers surrounded the ruler, forming a barrier between him and the former outlaw, and they moved off, leaving the four companions standing in the hallway.

Once they were out of earshot, Yuya walked over to him and reached out to grab ahold of the sleeve of his kimono, giving him a pained look as she said, "Kyo, did you have to be so...you?"

He shrugged and said, "I believe in being consistent. If he expects me to bow to him, he'll be waiting a long time."

She groaned and said, "But we're in _his_ castle."

"That's irrelevant. Stop fussing so much, woman. You got to hear him compliment you, didn't you? Besides, that was a good speech even though you made me out to be soft at the end."

His wife stared at him for a moment before averting her eyes and saying quietly, "Well, it _was_ the truth."

It had just registered with her that she had more or less flatout told the Shogun that his assessment of her husband was wrong and Kyo smirked. Her ingrained deference to governmental authority – a side-effect of her humble roots - was at war with her respect and love for him and he found her sudden shyness endearing.

"You worry too much," he said, pulling his sleeve from her grasp so that he could give her shoulder a tiny squeeze.

Yuya looked up at him and opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by a raised voice inside of the room. The words were muffled but he was pretty sure the person yelling was Bon and the door opened shortly after, revealing Sasuke.

The ninja gave him an unreadable look before beckoning to the group and saying irritably, "Get in here before I kill someone."

They wasted no time entering the room and Kyo stopped in his tracks as he saw the woman who was calmly replying to Bontenmaru's loud statements. Bon hadn't changed much over the years with the exception of his hair getting long enough for him to tie it back in a wild ponytail. He sported a good quality haori and hakama set and his bokken was tucked into the ties on the side. It was the most formal Kyo had ever seen him and he wondered what had brought on his summons to the Shogun's castle. Even more important, though, was why the woman in front of his old companion was there in the first place.

The female in question turned to look at them as they entered and her face broke into a sly smile as she said to Bon, "Oh look, Darling, we have visitors."

Kyo hadn't seen Okuni since after Shinrei first came to fight himself and Muramasa and he was amazed that she had the audacity to show up once more after spying for the Mibu – at least, that was what Bon had told him. Now, looking at her and knowing that she _had_ to be the woman claiming to be his wife, he was trying to figure out what in the world had happened while he was gone.

"Good to see you again, Kyo-Han," Benitora greeted him before gesturing him over and saying, "It seems Bon-Han is married to Okuni-Han. Isn't that interesting?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya watched in fascination as Bontenmaru's face turned red and he snapped out, "She isn't my wife. Didn't you hear a word I just said?"

"But you didn't tell my old man that she wasn't your wife when you were talking to him just now. She looks comfortable enough to me," Tora said and she had to agree.

Okuni was still as strikingly beautiful as the last time they'd seen her. Her long black hair flowed well past her waist and her lips were a bright red bow on her face, perfectly curved into a delicate pout as if Bontenmaru were a difficult child instead of a husband who had just denied her status as wife. Unsurprisingly, her huge breasts hadn't changed much either with the exception that they were covered more modestly, as was befitting a wife instead of a temptress.

All in all, she looked wonderful and Yuya was grateful that the older woman's attention had apparently shifted away from her husband to Bontenmaru. At least, she was pretty sure it had but the big man didn't seem to have the same relationship with Okuni that she had with Kyo.

Someone nudged her in the side and she looked up to see Akari leaning down so he could ask in a whisper, "Everyone seems to know her but me? Who is she? How does Bon know her."

"Well...she was one of Kyo's...lovers once upon a time," Yuya cringed to speak of it and had to clear her throat before she could continue, "and she showed up four years back when we were last in Edo. She still had a bit of a thing for Kyo at the time but it didn't pan out and she left. Bon seemed to be pretty close to her at the time. Maybe they took their relationship a step further?"

"Hmm," the shaman cast his gaze over at Okuni, analyzing her from top to bottom and paying particular attention the her bust before giving Yuya a somewhat patronizing pat on the shoulder and saying, "I'm pretty sure that I've never seen a woman so stacked. Even _I'm_ feeling inadequate next to those melons."

"Says the man with bean bun breasts," Yuya hissed back.

"That's neither here or there," he replied dismissively, "She's gorgeous and, coming from me, that's saying something. I was right to call you fearsome if Kyo passed up that vixen to chase after you."

"Their relationship was long over by the time I came around and thanks for the vote of confidence," the bounty huntress grumbled, "aren't you supposed to be my friend?"

"Friends should be honest to each other," came the amused reply.

She didn't really have an answer to that and merely turned away from Akari, scowling as she watched the proceedings unfold. The shaman let out a low laugh and said something under his breath that sounded like "so cute" before turning to watch as well.

Bon was quiet by now and Okuni just stood there serenely next to him with a content smile on her while Kyo examined the two of them before asking, "So you've taken up with my leftovers now, Bon. I thought you had better taste."

The raven-haired woman flinched almost imperceptibly but her expression didn't change and Yuya begrudgingly admitted that her aplomb was worthy of a queen.

Bon sucked his teeth and said defensively, "My taste is fine. I'm just saying that I'm not married, that Okuni isn't my wife. And don't call her leftovers, she might drive me crazy but she isn't _all_ bad."

The bounty Huntress was sure that she wasn't the only one who noted the lack of formality between the two and the fact that, while Bon might have been arguing with the older woman earlier, he didn't like her being insulted either. Of course, she could chalk it up to the giant's deeply held belief that women should be treated gently but her female intuition told her there was more at work.

As if realizing that he was further muddying the waters, the big man ran a hand through his hair and said tiredly, "Let's roll back a bit and start from the beginning."

"Before I went to hunt you down and see Muramasa, I had taken up in Sendai with my crew and we had a nice little set up over there providing protection and help for the locals and running a couple businesses to make ends meet. I told Okuni she needed to lay low after that whole thing with that water-dancing dude – her being a spy and all – and she left. After what went down at the Mibu, I took Akira with me," he jerked a thumb at the blind man who was standing unobtrusively in the corner as he listened to what was going on.

Yuya's shock at hearing that Okuni was a spy took a backseat to her assessment of her other friend. Akira hadn't changed much either. His face was still handsome and untroubled – although she knew that he had a temper when roused – and his hair was a little longer. He turned his sightless eyes in her direction and she knew that he had sensed her eyes upon him. His lips curved into a slight smile, which she unconsciously returned, before they were compressed together tightly as he tilted his head further in Akari's direction.

 _'Uh oh, looks like drama ahead,'_ she thought to herself and the mischievous expression on Akari's face only confirmed her suspicions.

"Anyways," Bon's voice brought her attention back to him, "after the two of us wandered for a bit, I decided to head home and that's when I ran into _her_ ," there was no question who he was speaking of, "Turns out that, while I was away, she slithered in among my men and told them she was my wife. I'm not sure how she managed to swing it but when I got back they were falling all over themselves to please her and I couldn't tell anyone otherwise."

"So," he heaved a heavy sigh, "right now she has my own crew wrapped around her fingers and even has the Shogun believing it as well. Enough that he offered me his congrats on my _beautiful_ bride and says that, now that I've settled down, I can have control of the Sendai Domain. Don't ask me why he did it with our past together being what it is but it looks like I'm a daimyo with land of my own versus a daimyo who is one step above wandering hobo."

He ended his explanation by sucking in a deep breath and letting it out in a rush, tensing when Okuni hovered closer and said, "It isn't all that bad now, is it, Bon? Isn't that a wonderful honor and a show of great trust?"

"Yeah, you can say that because you get to play at being a noble lady and I'm stuck with a woman I didn't choose."

"Well, you could always tell the truth," the older woman said with eyes that were all but dancing and Yuya noted with interest that the giant didn't seem pleased to hear that either.

"I keep _doing_ that and no one believes me. According to my men, a guy as ugly as I am would be crazy to turn down a woman like you. What was it they said? Ah, yes. 'Masamune-Sama, a man sees a woman that incredible only once in his life. You don't want to offend the gods by rejecting their gift, do you?'"

He paraphrased his subordinates with a look of disbelief at their betrayal on his face and Kyo and Akari chuckled because there actually _was_ merit to the arguments made by Bontenmaru's gang. The giant wasn't ugly but he wasn't classically good-looking either since his features were more craggy than anything else and having only one eye didn't help matters either. His saving graces were that he had a phenomenal body and was a genuine sweetheart.

"You could always have me physically removed, dear," Okuni said, teasing him by using a pet name that she knew would make him uncomfortable.

It was clear to anyone who knew her that the spy was taking shameless advantage of Bon's good nature but, from the outside looking in, Bon would look like a complete heel if he turned her out and they all knew it. Yuya pitied the man and wondered why in the world Okuni had chosen to torment him.

She had her answer though when Bon, instead of agreeing wholeheartedly with her, merely rubbed the back of his neck and, looking away, muttered, "That's not a solution to my problem either."

The young woman stared at him and realized that she had never really seen the giant being sheepish

before. Moving her gaze to the beauty who was "ruining" her friend's life, she also found her behavior odd as well. The confidence and teasing mannerisms were still there but she wasn't entirely sure that Okuni was just playing with Bon either. However, she had a feeling that now wasn't the time to delve deeper into the love lives of her friends and her large friend agreed because he quickly recovered from his momentary lapse in attitude and shot Akari a hard look.

"Anyways, enough about me. What is that he-she demon doing here?!" he pointed an accusing finger at the shaman who laughed in response and stepped forward, causing Bon to take a step back.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Akira broke in, walking up to stand next to Bon and frowning as he tilted his head to address Akari and said, "What cruel god saw fit to inflict you on us once again, Toukichirou?!"

The crossdresser's laughter cut off just as quickly and his masculine warrior face came to the fore as the air swam with his anger and he said with a low growl, "My name..."

"Is AKARI!" he moved forward so quickly that Yuya couldn't follow him and the next thing she knew, the shaman's staff connected with Bon's face, laying him out on the floor while Akira clutched his stomach where Akari's fist was buried.

Yuya was still marveling at the speed and strength of her newest friend's attack when he braced his feet wide, placed his hands on his hips and said in a thunderous voice, "Just who do you think you are to address me by that despicable name after you come crawling back from failing spectacularly?! My precious Kyo was going through absolute hell and where were the two of you? Sitting on your butts instead of living up to the title of the strongest warriors in the country! How dare you call yourself members of the Shiseiten! I have half a mind to kick your balls into your throats because at least then you'd know where to find them!"

He was so caught up in his tirade that his feminine façade had completely dropped and the bounty huntress winced at how crude his language had turned. She had never seen this loud and terrifying side of the shaman before and moved closer to Kyo, who was quietly snickering at the scene.

"Are they always like this? And who is Toukichirou?" she whispered.

"Toukichirou Mitarai is Akari's real name but he hates it with a passion because it reminds him of his past. And yeah, they're like this a lot. Didn't I tell you Akari was fun?" he punctuated it with a grin and she wondered if there was any end to how sadistic her husband could be since he clearly enjoyed watching his friends make death/mutilation threats against each other.

"I'm not sure that counts as fun," she said, wondering if she should speak up.

"Let them work things out, woman," her husband said, reading her intent.

"I don't have to take that from a guy who can't even figure out what he is!" Akira said, "And who says Kyo belongs to you? Yuya-San already beat you to it!"

"Oh, bold words for a little brat who used to be so scared of caterpillars that you would bawl your eyes out and all but piss yourself," Akari replied with a contemptuous glare and, to Yuya's surprise, Akira flinched and turned away in embarrassment.

"And as for Bon," those hard violet eyes shifted over to the big man, "Do you still spend your days reading romance novels and comics for girls?"

The giant coughed and averted his eyes and the young woman was awed at how quickly the two men had been defeated. Akari truly was a frightening opponent and he knew it because he threw his head back and laughed scornfully as he said, "Look at the two of you! Like whipped puppies. How many times did I have to heal you and pull your butts out of the fire? Suffer in silence and know that your secrets belong to me because you're so weak! Bow before your queen you lazy, shiftless worker bees!"

His cruel laughter echoed around the room and Sasuke, Kyoshiro, and Benitora edged away while Okuni floated over towards Yuya and asked from behind the cover of her long sleeve, "Is that pretty woman really a male?"

Yuya nodded silently, still fixated by the bizarre sight of her powerful friends being helpless before a crossdressing priestess who vacillated between male and female personas.

"How amusing," the spy said.

"You can say that because you've never been on the receiving end of his crazy personality," the younger woman replied.

The buxom woman tittered and replied, "It's nothing that can't be weathered with a good sense of humor. I can handle myself just fine, though," she gave Yuya an appraising look, "I can see where you might run into problems. You take things far too seriously. I'm not sure why Kyo chose someone so naïve."

Okuni smiled to take the sting out of her words and Yuya realized that she wasn't being serious which was a far cry from the woman who had originally sought to make her feel inadequate when they first met.

She returned the other woman's smile and said, "I'm trying to lighten up. It's a necessity with Kyo for a husband and Akari-San for a friend. Speaking of which, what are you going to do about Bon-San?"

The spy seemed mildly surprised that she had broached the subject to openly but her tone wasn't offended as she replied, "Enjoy my time with him and make my plans."

It was semi-cryptic but Yuya let the matter rest and nudged Kyo, asking him to stop the bickering trio, who had devolved into childish name-calling that ran from the gamut from "hellspawned she-man" to "blind Kyo wannabe" and "muscle-bound oaf with seaweed for brains."

 _'Kami, they really are big children,'_ she thought, shaking her head in amazement as her husband broke up the verbal fight and told them it was time to make their plans.

After they had settled down and agreed that it was in the best interests of everyone if they got a move on in the morning to make sure they didn't lose anymore time, they decided it was time to eat and get some rest. After Yuya got a big hug from Bon and Akira informed Kyo that he was stronger and had new moves to show him, she and her spouse headed back to his room and she felt a twinge of annoyance that her stuff had already been relocated.

"No one even asked me for permission," she huffed and he chuckled as he came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.

"They already figured out what sort of relationship we have, woman. Besides, they're more afraid of me than you."

Figuring that he was right, she sighed and leaned back into his embrace as she replied, "Whatever. I was already planning to move into this room anyways. You aren't about to leave me alone for a night anytime soon, are you?"

"Wise woman," he said as he pressed his lips to her neck and his hands moved to undo the ties of her kimono as he said, "and you know full well that you don't want me to leave you alone."

She couldn't disagree and tilted her head to the side so that he could have better access as she said, "I still can't believe you promised to marry Akari if he hit your face."

Kyo made an annoyed sound and pulled back as he replied, "It wasn't a serious promise and he knows it."

"Well, yes but marriage is such a big dealm, not something to make a joke out of."

"That's not how I felt about it at the time and it served its purpose. Akari needed a goal and is a better man for it. Besides, it's not as if he's pining away for me and I'd be more worried about him crushing on you like the rest of those idiots who follow us around."

"Don't be mean to our friends, Kyo. And stop being so paranoid. With people like Okuni and Akari floating around, I'm hardly the center of attention."

Her husband made no response, he just finished untying her outer garment and drew it off before rotating her around so that he could look at her face.

She started fidgeting the longer his penetrating red stare went on and was only partly relieved when he said, "You say that but you _have_ to know that you have more than enough appeal. Otherwise you couldn't have pretended to be a seductress, as Kyoshiro put it."

Yuya tensed up at his words. Busted!

Kyo was giving her a significant look and she let out a nervous little laugh as she said unconvincingly, "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Oh, I'm sure you know _exactly_ what I mean. Exactly what parts of _my_ body were you showing off to the common scum around these parts?"

There was no mistaking the possessive tone in his voice and she dropped all pretense as she replied with more meekness than she liked, "Nothing really."

"Really?" he repeated in a dark tone.

"Yes, really. I might have hinted at things but I never revealed anything. Trust me when I say it wasn't at all fun either. Since Kyoshiro ratted me out, he could at least have told you that part," she couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice.

She was definitely telling Sakuya about Kyoshiro's weakness for pretty women when she finally met her and his reaction to Akari would be the pinnacle of her tale.

"Kyoshiro will be dealt with later. Even if his stones are the size of marbles there should be a limit to what he should let you bully him into."

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied with a hint of sarcasm that earned her a harsh look from her husband.

"You've got a big mouth for someone in trouble," he replied, his gaze shifting from annoyed to heated in a split second.

"So I've been told," she said, wondering what he was going to do and taking an automatic step back as he moved forward.

"I think that I should see what other uses you have for it," he said and she gave a start as his hands reached out to catch her before she could get away and pulled her close so that he could press his lips to hers.

Yuya probably shouldn't have given in so easily but Kyo was there and his mouth and tongue were so warm that she practically melted into his kiss. His hands undid the ties of her inner kimono and she shrugged it off and gasped when his hands found her bottom and lifted her up against him to the point that her feet left the floor. Having no choice, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and enjoyed the stimulating feel of his clothes brushing over her bare skin.

Her husband held her close to him as he pulled his mouth away and said huskily, "Weakling. I've barely started and you're already ready to have a go at me."

"Call it my attempt to delay retribution," she replied just as throatily.

She felt his chuckle all the way to her toes and had to suppress a moan as he said, "Not going to work. I will however consider being lenient if you show me what Yuya the seductress looks like."

Groaning, this time is embarrassment, she said, "It's really cheesy and you've already seen that version of me."

"No, that was when you were trying to get me to stop being an idiot and take what was offered. I want the Yuya who knows she's a desirable woman and wants her man to do something about it."

She couldn't stop herself from blushing at his frank request and buried her head in his chest as she said, "It's too embarrassing."

"Ah, so you can do it for perfect strangers but not for your _darling_ husband," he said, punctuating the statement with a squeeze to her behind and she knew he was taunting her.

He had a point though and she slowly pulled her head back to look at him as she asked softly, "If I do, will you promise not to laugh at me?"

"Do I ever laugh at sex?" he asked with a serious face.

"Point taken," she replied in resignation before continuing, "I'll see what I can do, Kyo."

His smile was all fang as he said stroked a warm hand over her back and said, "All I'll ever ask is that you try, Yuya. I promise, I'll make it worth your while."

He punctuated his words with a deep kiss and she decided that there were worse punishments out there.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yay, got most of the Shiseiten together and managed to slip in some romance. This was fun to write and I do hope you enjoyed it. The gang will be away from Edo when you see them next and you'll see what's been going on with Shinrei, Aiko, Ryu, and the rest next chapter. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.


	22. Little Girls and Earnest Vows

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Glad you laughed and they're off at last), **general zargon** (SDK has some of the funniest characters ever and it's a joy to put them all together in one room to see what happens. Thanks for catching the typo, I'll have to take a look and I'm happy as always that you enjoyed the chapter), **abattles2** (I don't want to skip out on the fun parts of getting Bon and Okuni together and Kyoshiro is the most adorable screw-up, lol.), **Rinfantasy** (All of the Shiseiten have such strong personalities that they'll never let each other win, except for Akari. ;-P Glad you liked the romance), **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Lol, Akira in pigtails is too funny to pass up completely. I'll see if I can swing him in here. Of course, Tora is going to come with them, they need him and his spear after all.), **Deby MU** (Glad you liked and when Hotaru shows up, there's bound to be even more fun. The Generals are a blast to write. Lol, Kyoshiro is in hot water and he'll be in even more down the line but I can't say how yet. ;-) You'll see Muramasa and the twins shortly and thanks for always leaving such kind reviews, I have a lot more story to write and it's very encouraging), **ThunderxShadow** (You nailed it on the head. Yuya understands that Kyo loves her and is attracted to her but she just doesn't comprehend her appeal to anyone else. It's part of her charm. ^_^ And I agree wholeheartedly on what makes a woman precious to a man, all of the best marriages I've seen have that in the mix. There is no room for selfish ego in matrimony or it won't last.), **magicalnana** (Glad you liked), **kyoandyuya** (Lol, Bon likes Okuni but he just isn't the type to be forced into anything which slows things down. Hotaru will show eventually and it'll be even more fun times. Kyo is really possessive of Yuya but then, they've been through a lot and he's in love. A sexy Yuya who is actually trying? We all know what Kyo would do with free-access to that. XD), **Ray** (Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the vote of confidence, it is very encouraging. ^_^), **Azure** (Wow! What a kind review! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my fics and letting me know how much you enjoyed them. I really appreciate the fact that you like the way I write characters because I try my hardest to keep them in character and make the romantic parts believable. Don't ever worry about boring me with the length of your review because that just tells me that you are enjoying yourself and I really appreciate the time you took to write it. ^_^),

 **Author's Note:** Remember that, as far as the rest of the Mibu clan outside of the Four Elders knows, Tokito is a boy. It's such a pain trying to keep my personal pronouns on point depending on who is speaking. X-(

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty**

 **Little Girls and Earnest Vows**

Aiko was afraid.

When she woke up, it was to the feel of being carried horizontally by one of the scary men who accompanied that strange boy with the evil eyes - the one who made her want to run and hide. Her last memory was of her grandfather looking at her kindly and blood, so much blood, all over his chin and the front of his clothes. The girl was only just starting to understand that death went beyond the dried up old bugs she found or the withered flowers that she'd collected and she couldn't explain it, but she just knew that her dear Jii-San was going someplace where she couldn't follow.

The very idea multiplied her fear and she started to wiggle, trying to twist herself around so that she could make sure her grandfather was still there.

"Hold still, girl," the man holding her said and she looked up, relieved that all she saw on his face now was a simple white mask with a long hole cut out for his eyes.

It was far preferable to the way their unwelcome visitors had looked when they first showed up at her grandfather's house. She'd been worried when she sensed their presence and terrified when, instead of the disguises she saw now, she looked up to see a snarling oni mask obscuring each of their visages.

Even without her grandfather's coaching, Aiko was in-tune enough with her abilities to know that a demon's face signified ill-intent. She wasn't quite sure what followed after that, all she knew was that she was scared and wanted her Jii-San and that the bad men stopped for a while until her grandsire came to save her.

Now, being transported by strangers through a dark, gloomy forest that made all sorts of weird sounds, she tried to "feel" the presence of her relative and took a deep sniff to add her olfactory senses to the mix as well. The air was musty and tinged with blood and she wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant odor, concentrating as she tried to single out her grandfather's scent.

It took her a moment, but buried beneath the nasty fragrance emitted by her captors and the forest, she finally located her his smell and craned her neck just enough to catch sight of him slung over the shoulder of one of the soldiers.

"Jii-San," she whispered quietly, willing him to turn his head and open his eyes so that she could make sure he was alright.

"I'm afraid your ' _Jii-San_ ' is in no condition to respond," said a wicked voice and she turned to see the mean boy from before walking on the opposite side of her transporter and staring at her with those vicious blue-green eyes of his.

Her immediate reaction was to huddle closer to the man carrying her because at least he didn't give off emotions that made her feel uneasy. The same couldn't be said for the scary boy. There was mixture of signals she was getting from him that were strong enough to make her uncomfortable but not enough to break through the barrier of her own overwhelming fear and show themselves plainly. In truth, she didn't really _want_ to know what was going on in that blonde head but she also knew that there was no place to run – she didn't know where she was and the surrounding forest was unsettling.

Breathing deeply, as her grandfather had taught her, she slowly wrestled with her own feelings and the struggle must have shown on her face because the boy gave her an intent look and asked softly, "What _are_ you doing? I hope you aren't planning to try and manipulate my men again, otherwise I'll have to send you back to sleep and I won't be as nice as my useless father."

Aiko shrank back against the soldier and shook her head mutely, furrowing her brow as she willed the boy's emotions to appear, and gradually her own receded to make way for his. Unlike the last time, the masks that appeared didn't settle on top of her target's face – choosing instead to hover in the background - and she wondered if the boy was deliberately separating himself from his own feelings.

Her grandfather told her that he did that sometimes when he had to deal with things that were difficult or dangerous and that it was a skill that all fighters had to learn, but she wasn't sure she could ever master such an ability. After obtaining the gift to see so many emotions, she couldn't see herself giving up on her own feelings in order to hurt someone else. She preferred to be like her mother, strong but kind and comforting, the sort of person her papa would like when he finally met her.

Going back to what she saw, she analyzed the masks floating over the scary boy's shoulder and readily identified the oni mask again, as well as one with a broad smile that should have been amusement but there was a cruel set to the lips that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It fit in with her prior assessment of the boy, that he took joy in being a meanie. There was one more mask that she saw and she frowned harder as she tried to piece together what it conveyed. The face was black and twisted into strong dislike but there were tears streaming out of the empty sockets and down its cheeks as if it couldn't decide between hatred and sorrow.

It was a new experience and she bit her lip as she gave it a hard stare, willing it to come closer so that she could get a better look but the boy's harsh voice interrupted her as he said, "Whatever you're doing, stop it!"

There was a warning note in his tone and she did as instructed, focusing her attention back on his face and wondering why he looked so angry. Surely she hadn't hurt him, had she?

Glancing back at the bewildering mask, she asked softly, "Why are you crying?"

The atmosphere grew denser and the girl sucked in her breath, feeling as if a weight was settling over her as her gaze was unwillingly pulled back towards those blue-green eyes. The boy's expression was cold and emotionless but she could see the oni mask drifting closer to the fore and knew, without being told, that this was what the killing aura her Jii-San had once described to her felt like. Her sense of self-preservation had her quickly averting her face and burying it into the chest of the soldier holding her.

"It's in your best interests to keep your nose out of my business, little girl," the boy said in a voice that was all the more frightening because of its almost feminine softness.

"We are almost at our destination and, if you want to live once we make it to the clan, you'll keep your mouth shut and do as you're told instead of poking about in mine or anyone else's head. And if you're good, _maybe_ , you will be around long enough to see us rid the world of your troublesome father and his foolish friends."

The boy laughed brightly, as if the very idea was delightful. Aiko shivered in response, wishing she could be anywhere else and feeling like she was truly alone for the first time in her young life.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shinrei watched Ryu go through one of the easier katas of the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu school, taking note of the way he moved his small arms and the positioning of his feet. At the moment, he was assessing the areas that needed work and he frowned as he noted that the boy was having a hard time maintaining his balance. He could see the child tensing up, constantly looking at his master for approval instead of focusing on keeping his moves consistent, and he sighed internally.

After he came to from his fight with Kyo, he took his time expounding on the sparse details of his past with the Demon Child that he had revealed to both father and son in the heat of the battle. Ryu had responded with shock which moved to anger then sadness and, finally, calm acceptance and the water-user hadn't been able to resist asking why.

Ryu had simply looked at him with those fathomless red eyes and said, "You told me the truth and now I know what my parents are like and that they will come back for me. Even if he is a bit scary, my father is very strong."

It was such a simple statement but profound because there had been something in that ruby gaze and in the back of his voice that told him that he only had a short while left with the boy. Perhaps it was the way he said "my father". It was uttered so possessively and with so much admiration that he knew that Ryu would gladly follow in his _real_ father's footsteps if given a chance.

All sons wanted to be like their sires in some form and Shinrei's heart ached at the thought that he was probably never going to get another chance to pass his knowledge on to someone else. Ryu was on loan and Kyo, who had sacrificed himself for his wife and unborn child, would definitely want him back once he was restored to normal. Even though he wanted the boy to be happy, he didn't want to let him go either.

Unfortunately, his own morose feelings were muddling the air between them and unconsciously upsetting the child, making him clumsier than usual because he didn't understand that his master's current mood was not his fault. Rather, it was Shinrei's painful knowledge of his dwindling time with his pretend son and the yawning maw of loneliness that was waiting for him in the future that was ruining his equilibrium. He'd had a few years to glimpse what could have been and now he was going to have to store his feelings up and subsist on his memories once Ryu was gone.

"Let's stop for the day Ryu," he said when he could no longer bear to see his pupil butchering the moves he had taught him.

The boy's arms fell to his sides and he replied uncertainly, "Forgive me Shinrei-Sama, I keep messing up."

"It's alright. I think we are both having a rough day," he said, offering him a reassuring smile, "and it might be better for us to practice your meditation."

It wasn't a bad idea. Learning to center oneself, gain control of one's emotions, and focus was vital for any aspiring warrior and he'd been trying to teach the fine art of patient self-analysis to his student. If he was destined to lose Ryu to his true family, he could at least pass on the ability to meditate, which would come in handy no matter which fighting school the child decided to go with.

Urging the boy to sit, he started him off by asking him to take deep breaths. The end goal was to get him to relax and he did the same, instructing Ryu to close his eyes and taking a minute to observe his posture. The expression on the boy's face was so earnest, as if he could will true relaxation into being, that Shinrei had to stifle a chuckle.

Albeit a bit clumsy at performing the moves of the Mumyou Saikyou school, Ryu was serious about learning and his tenacity was endearing. The child truly was not half-hearted about anything, just like Kyo and while Shinrei might have had his differences with the Thousand Killer, looking at his progeny, he could admit that the boy had inherited some of his more admirable qualities.

After watching Ryu for a few more seconds, he was just about to follow suit and close his eyes as well when the boy gave a start and those lids opened to reveal startled red irises. Turning his dark head this way and that, as if he were searching for something, he scrambled to his feet and stilled his movements, scowling slightly in concentration.

Bemused by the boy's behavior, Shinrei stood as well and asked, "What's wrong Ryu?"

"There's...someone here," he replied distractedly.

Wondering if that "someone" was approaching the room they had set aside for practice, the water-user walked over to the door and opened it, peering outside but finding no one. He was about to go back inside the room when he saw a flash of white out of the corner of his eye and he looked down to see a neatly folded piece of paper. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands a couple times before unfolding it and looking at what was written on it.

It read:

 _Dear Shinrei-San,_

 _We have a new arrival in the clan and it is of the utmost importance that you meet her. Please take young Ryu-San with you and follow his lead. Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone about this message and please do not put your trust in those who are above you, they are not who you think they are. Although, you have probably already figured this out for yourself prior to aiding Kyo in his escape._

 _I know the sort of man that you are and ask that you treat our guest delicately. In any case, if you are sincere in your desire to help the Mibu, then you will do as I ask and destroy this letter after you have read it thoroughly._

 _Thank You._

There was no signature at the end but he recognized the sender, both by her precise handwriting and her insight into what amounted to an act of betrayal, his involvement with Kyo's departure. There was only one person with the foreknowledge to direct him with such certainty and he was curious as to what had prompted Sakuya to contact him of all people. As far as anyone knew, he was utterly devoted to the Mibu and, while that still held true, it was balanced out by his growing certainty that the Taishirou did not have the clan's best interests at heart.

It was a testament to his own desperation that he didn't think twice about doing as the letter directed. After committing its contents to memory, he gathered water from the surrounding air and used it to soak the paper thoroughly, causing the ink to run until it was unreadable. Once it was an illegible mass of black and white, he dispersed the water completely and watched the now brittle paper as it disintegrated into tiny pieces like so much refuse.

Entering the room once more, he looked at Ryu who was still staring off in the distance and said, "No one is out in the corridor. Who are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure yet. I think I might but she isn't supposed to be here," the boy replied as he looked at his master once more.

"Who is she?" Shinrei asked, centering in on the gender of the mystery person and noting that it was just as the letter said.

"I can't say until I know."

"Where is she and how can you sense her, Ryu?"

The boy tensed and his eyes skittered away guiltily as he said with uncharacteristic meekness, "I can't tell you that either but I think I can get to her."

"Then take me to her," Shinrei replied and Ryu gave him a startled look.

"I'm not sure I should."

"Why not? What are you hiding from me?"

Ryu remained silent and Shinrei could tell by the set of his mouth that he wasn't going to answer him. Letting out a sigh, he said, "Whoever she is, I promise not to hurt her."

The boy gave him a long look, clearly weighing how much he could trust his own master, and Shinrei felt a bit hurt that there was even a question in his head as to whether or not he would keep his word. However, now wasn't the time to take offense where none was intended and he was relieved when Ryu nodded his head and took his hand, pulling him urgently in the direction he wanted him to go.

They exited the room quietly and the water-user maintained his silence, sensing that his pupil didn't want to answer anymore questions at the moment. It wasn't until they had descended the steps leading out of the dojo and were half-way across the courtyard that the child spoke again and what he said next was odd, to say the least.

"I can feel her here. She's scared, _really_ scared."

Shinrei wasn't sure what to make of Ryu's "feelings" but he plodded along with him, gradually picking up speed to keep up with the child who was moving with greater and greater urgency until he was practically running by the time they reached the castle entrance. The moment they passed through the great doors, he heard what sounded like a crying child and had to grab Ryu by the shoulder to keep him from sprinting off towards the noise.

The boy struggled against his hold and his master, who was disturbed by the desperation in his movements, said, "Calm down, Ryu."

"I can't," the boy replied helplessly, his eyes glued in the direction the crying was coming from and his master realized, from the shaking in his small shoulders, that he was telling the truth.

The water-user's first instinct was to go back the way they had come but, recalling what the letter instructed him to do, he said, "Fine, let's press on but stay close to me and don't run off."

Ryu nodded jerkily and they were off once more at a brisk pace, heading closer and closer to the sound while Shinrei's unease only increased, growing by leaps and bounds until he started to wonder why he was feeling so fearful when he usually kept his cool in the face of the unknown. It took him a minute before he realized that the fear was coming from an external source and, as they approached the room where the sobbing emanated from, he braced himself for a potential fight.

Offering his gloved-hand to Ryu, he was relieved when the boy immediately took it, gripping him so tightly that he was sure it was cutting off the circulation to his fingers. There were voices talking back and forth in the room and, through it all, the child kept crying. Taking in a deep breath, Shinrei grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open, wincing as his eardrums got the full effect of the weeping youngster.

Inside, the conversation paused and he saw Tokito giving him an annoyed look while the soldier he had been berating took a step back and bowed. The Goyosei member did the same to Tokito and he responded by asking snarkily, "What are you doing here with Kyo's other brat, Shinrei?"

 _'Other brat?' t_ he significance of the Elder's casually uttered words were not lost on him but he refrained from making comment, forcing himself to focus on overcoming the fear that was still battering him in waves instead.

The pitiful cries that had attracted him in the first place had died down to loud, hiccuping sobs the moment he entered the room and he followed them to their source, staring in shock at what he saw. Sitting in a chair in the corner with her legs pulled up to her chest, was a tiny girl who looked to be about three or so. She was a pretty little thing with blonde hair shot through with strands of red and pulled back into pigtails. Her kimono was a simple pink garment with flowers and butterflies decorating it in white and two tiny feet peeked out from beneath the hem, although only one had a shoe.

However, the her most arresting features were her eyes. Narrow, red, and intense – it was like she was looking through him into his very soul. He'd thought before that Ryu looked the most like his father and, save for the shape of his eyes, that still held true. But this child, this girl had Kyo's stare and it was an almost frightening trademark on such a delicately formed child.

He wasn't sure how long he stared at her while she returned the look with her brilliant ruby eyes shining with even more tears. Her cheeks were still red and wet from her earlier distress and he found himself feeling concerned for the little girl. Unnerving stare or not, she was still a child and he knew Tokito well enough to know that he wasn't helping matters.

"How odd," the Taishirou in question said as he looked from Shinrei to the girl, "she was bawling her eyes out and screwing with our heads until you showed up."

It took Shinrei a second to understand what he meant and he looked down to see that Ryu was much calmer and, at the same time, realized that he didn't feel the overwhelming sense of panic that had been clawing at him a few minutes prior. He wasn't quite sure why Ryu had felt it long before he himself had but he didn't question it, merely observed the boy's face and noted that he didn't seem to be the least surprised at encountering a strange girl with red eyes like his. Someway, somehow, his pupil knew who the other child was.

"Forgive my asking, Tokito-Sama, but is this girl also Kyo's child?" he asked to keep the attention on himself and away from his secretive charge.

"Didn't I already say that?" the young Elder replied, annoyance coloring his tone.

"Yes, but I was under the impression that there was only Ryu."

"Well, use your eyes. Haven't you ever heard of twins? Apparently, Kyo's little whore manged to produce two kids."

Ryu's hand tightened in his at the careless insult to his mother – he wondered how the child even knew what a whore was - but he wisely held his tongue and Shinrei was grateful. Looking over at the girl, he was startled to find that her eyes were still on him and, if he didn't know any better, he would have thought that there was recognition in that steady gaze.

"Creepy little thing, isn't she? I was arguing with this idiot over finding someone to watch her for a bit until Hishigi can get his hands on her but none of the men want to hang around her."

"Surely she can't hurt anyone, Tokito-Sama," Shinrei replied, "She's just a child."

"Hardly," came the matter-of-fact reply, "she's a little freak just like the rest of the shamans Hishigi exterminated forever ago. Her being the spawn of Kyo just makes her extra disgusting. Don't tell me you didn't feel her crawling around in your head you when you first came in."

The girl seemed to shrink in on herself the longer Tokito badmouthed her and Ryu's grip increased with the effort it took not to say something. The young female was on the verge of tears once again and Shinrei felt pity well up in his chest for her. She was so small, so out of her element and Tokito was cruelly tearing her to shreds with his words.

His lips were moving before he truly thought about what he was committing himself to and he said firmly, "If you need someone to watch her, I'll do it."

The Elder raised a brow and folded his arms over his chest, giving his subordinate a long suspicious glare before an amused smile touched his lips and he said lightly, "That's fine. You already put up with one of Kyo's brats, why not the other one too?"

The blonde rubbed his hands together as if ridding himself of invisible specks of dirt and turned to make his way to the door with the masked soldier in tow before pausing.

"Incidentally, Shinrei, I hope you don't plan to get too attached to those little monsters. It would be very unwise," the Taishirou said, fixing the silver-haired man with a single, cold eye before continuing on his way out, leaving the soldier standing in the middle of the room.

Shinrei was about to ask the man what he was waiting for when he simply collapsed and the girl in the corner gasped, having already figured out what he now saw. There was a single card embedded deeply into the middle of the mask with a wickedly grinning skull that was waving mockingly from a black background. The word "Death" was inscribed across the bottom of it and he gathered Ryu close, pressing the boy's face to his leg so that he couldn't see the thin trail of blood that was leaking from beneath the mask. He hadn't even seen Tokito move and he mentally shuddered to think of the level of skill and power required for any attack to slip so completely beneath his notice. He was also bothered by the ease with which the Elder had disposed of his own underling – doubtless because the man had dared to express his concerns over watching the child.

A tiny whimper sounded and he willed himself not to dwell on how woefully outclassed he would be in a fight with even the "weakest" of the Taishioru. Instead he focused on attending to the girl, who was staring at the dead man with wide eyes. Swearing internally, he stepped in front of the body to obscure it from those sad red eyes and was relieved when she dragged them upwards to look at him again.

"Are you alright?" the Goyosei member asked and she blinked, setting a lone tear free while her lips quivered with the effort it took not to start crying again.

He waited patiently for her to control her emotions and she slowly scrubbed at her eyes with the backs of her wrists before saying weakly, "He's gone."

"Yes, Tokito-Sama is gone. It's just us here."

The girl shook her head and pointed at the floor behind him before repeating her words, "He's gone. Aiko...I saw him. He was really scared of the bad boy and then he was gone."

"Ah...," Shinrei realized what she was talking about and felt his chest tighten. The girl obviously hadn't seen much death, if any, in her life and he wished she hadn't had to learn about it in such a terrible way.

Latching onto her words he asked gently, "Aiko? Is that your name?"

She nodded and he continued, "And are you, in fact, the child of Kyo and his wife, Yuya?"

Another nod. So, she knew her origins - that simplified things, sort of.

Ryu was tugging at his hand, silently asking permission to go over to his sister and he let the boy go, watching in interest as he rushed over to his sister and began checking her over. His dark head moved from side to side and he reached out to touch her sleeve hesitantly, as if he couldn't quite believe she was there.

"Are you alright, Aiko-Chan? How did you get here? Where is our mother? Is our father coming here?" her twin asked after confirming that she wasn't some sort of apparition.

The girl was in no condition to answer his rapid fire questions and Shinrei could see her tearing up as her sibling's inquiries reminded her of the fact that she was alone in a strange with place without the family she had known her whole life. Her eyes might have been like Kyo's but she was nowhere near the same level of jaded as her sire had been as a child. Unlike the infamous Demon Child, she hadn't had her innocence stripped away from the very beginning.

"That's enough, Ryu," he said and the boy turned to stare at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sure Aiko isn't feeling well right now and would like to get away from the room as soon as possible," he said.

"I...yes, of course," his pupil said, stepping aside reluctantly as his master walked over to stand in front of his sister.

Kneeling down, he stared into Aiko's vivid eyes and said as kindly as he could manage, "I can tell you are afraid. Please rest assured that I will do my best to watch over you until we can sort things out. I won't hurt you, little one."

She kept staring at him before a tiny smile touched her lips and she whispered a barely audible, "Yes, I know."

"That's good. Now, you've doubtless heard it by now, but this is your brother Ryu. And my name is..."

"Shinrei-Sama," she finished for him, taking him aback because the only person in their immediate vicinity who called him that was Ryu and the boy hadn't used it in her presence yet.

"Yes...that's right," he replied and was about to ask her how she knew it when the girl held her hands up, indicating that she wanted to be picked up.

There was no denying her silent request and he refrained from asking further questions - opting to save them for when they were away from the room - as he scooped her up and settled her head on his shoulder. Small arms slid confidently around his neck and he had to take a moment to gather his wits. Such trust from a child he'd never met before was strange but more than welcome, and he unconsciously hugged her closer.

"It's alright," he said and wasn't sure if he was reassuring the girl or himself.

The trio quickly made their exit and he ordered a nearby servant to return to the way they'd come nd dispose of the body before they headed for Ryu's room. Aiko remained quiet while Ryu followed along and it wasn't until they were halfway to their destination that Shinrei broached the subject of the boy's uncanny forknowledge about his sister's arrival and how he knew exactly where to find her.

"So, it seems to me that, out of everyone in that room, you were the least surprised by Aiko's existence, Ryu. What exactly is it that you aren't telling me?"

He felt more than saw the boy flinch in response to his question and it confirmed his belief that there was a whole lot of information that was being kept from him. It wasn't a situation that he cared to be in but the older man allowed his ward to collect his thoughts for a moment and listened intently once he started speaking.

"I can't tell you everything that happened but...it was on the day that I hurt Ruru-Chan and ran away."

Shinrei recalled Ryu's strange behavior when he found him, but said nothing as he continued, "I heard from Keikoku-Sama about my father and went to Hishigi-Sama's lab. I...found my father's sword and touched it. I can't say happened next but I went somewhere. Or maybe it was only a dream. That's where I met Aiko-Chan and learned that we are connected. After I met her, I woke up and saw you."

There was a lot that wasn't being said but the water-user could put enough pieces together to get a pretty clear picture. Somehow, his idiot half-brother had set Ryu on the trail of his real father and got him to enter Hishigi's labs – a place the boy absolutely despised. He couldn't speak as to what must have happened when Ryu came in contact with what was arguably the strongest of Muramasa's demon blades but he'd lay down money that it was part of the reason why Kyo had gotten his hands on the sword once more. As for the bond between the siblings...

"How exactly _are_ you connected to Aiko?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I could just feel her when she came here. She was reaching out to me for help," Ryu was clearly just as puzzled as he was about the nature of the connection.

"So it isn't the sort of link where she can talk to you?"

The boy shook his head in the negative.

"Then how did she know my name?"

Aiko, who had held her silence up to this point, answered for her brother and said, "I dreamed it."

Shinrei held her a ways from him a bit so that he could see her face again and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Aiko...I...saw you in my dreams. I told Kaa-Chan about you but, I don't think she likes you," she whispered the last part as if she were afraid he would take offense.

That Yuya disliked him didn't come as a surprise and Shinrei declined to comment on what his relationship with her mother was like.

"How do you see me in your dreams?" he asked instead.

"You pick me up and show me how to dance. Aiko likes the way you dance. It's pretty," her gaze was openly admiring and he felt his face heat up slightly, both because of the compliment and because he wasn't sure what to make of her calling his movements "pretty."

Since he didn't know how else to respond, he simply murmured a low, "Thank you."

Her face broke into a wide smile and he could see where her mother had left her mark. Those eyes might have been Kyo's but that expressive face, which hid nothing, was all Yuya. She had inherited the best features from both of her parents and it occurred to him that she was probably going to be a very beautiful woman someday. Her wording was odd though, like she was seeing him through Ryu's eyes and experiences in her sleep.

The girl continued to look closely at him and he wondered what was going through her mind until she said, with unusual seriousness for someone so young, "You are not a bad person."

It was stated with such certainty that Shinrei had to wonder how she had managed to analyze his character in such a brief span of time and he covered his confusion by repliying drily, "I doubt your mother would agree with you."

Aiko yawned a bit and he could see exhaustion pulling at the corners of her eyes and mouth but she responded anyways with a sleepy, "Kaa-Chan doesn't know you. Shinrei-Sama is sad all the time but...warm...nice."

As if to prove her point, her little head dipped forward to rest on his shoulder once more as her words trailed off and she nuzzled her cheek against his chest. It was such an unexpected display of trust and affection that he found himself fighting a sudden lump in his throat.

No one had ever spoken his secret feelings out loud before.

Always, he was the strong, dependable soldier who fought tirelessly for the sake of the Mibu and he _was_ proud of that image, but he was still flesh and blood. To have his emotions laid out in the open by a mere child when even his own family - including her twin - hadn't acknowledged them was almost more than he could bear. The clan knew of his concern for them and their grim plight but no one understood how it made _him_ feel – the helplessness and hopelessness that plagued him - and his arms trembled slightly as he tightened them around the girl who had slipped into slumber within seconds.

"Are you alright, Shinrei-Sama," Ryu asked quietly, so as not to wake his sister.

"I...I'm fine," Shinrei replied, albeit with less confidence than he would have liked.

"Are you _really_ going to watch over Aiko-Chan, like you do with me?"

"Yes," the water-user replied and meant it, too.

As he carried the slight form of a child who had shaken him to his core with her guiless words, he understood the intent behind the letter Sakuya had sent him. He was indeed holding something precious and would treat her with the delicacy that was her due. The man who was Shinrei, one of the illustrious Five Stars, could do no less.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hooray for new and old meetings and ending a chapter with the warm fuzzies. ^_^ Next up, we find out what happened to Muramasa and we'll hopefully see more of Kyo and the gang but no promises since I'm not sure where inspiration will strike. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	23. Dark Days and Bright Smiles

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (Happy you enjoyed it. I got all fuzzy writing it. ^_^), **lmamc** , **general zargon** (Tokito has a beat down in the works, don't you worry. I'm happy you enjoyed the interactions between Shinrei and the twins. Even though I love both Hotaru and Shinrei, I'm pretty sure the former gets the lion's share of fan attention. I do have a special place for Shinrei though because he is a genuinely good person, if a bit rigid. Putting aside his butt-hole moments, he has done a lot for the clan, he did right by his half-brother in setting him up to get into the Five Stars and he truly does love his family.), **magicalnana** (They are a bit like Sessh and Rin aren't they? I've considered a romance, it's not like Shinrei is going to age any further, but I'm a little nervous about pairing a main character with an OC even though I think it would be fun), **Deby MU** (I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter and reading about the twins and how Ryu feels about his family. It's so much fun to write. ^_^ Muramasa should show up in the next chapter and, don't worry, he'll be alright in the end. As for your question, I am mixing and matching some parts from the manga with my own story so some things will be similar and other things very different. That said, Kyo will definitely go berserk at some point because he won't be able to beat the Crimson King if he can't overcome that side of himself first.), **Azure** (I doubly appreciate the time you took to write a review since it doesn't come easily to you. I agree that Shinrei would make a great father and probably an awesome husband too. I can't wait to write more about his interactions with the twins and how the kids get along and the nature of their bond. Tokito is horrible but the blame for that lies squarely on her father. She is truly pitiful. Hotaru will join soon, no worries.), **kyoandyuya** (Shinrei will cheer up if Aiko has anything to say about it. Speaking of whom, she was really pulling Tokito's conflicting feelings about her "father" to the forefront since she both hates him and yet is desperate for the family she feels he denied her. Ryu doesn't understand his connection to his sister but they'll eventually puzzle it out together.), **abattles2** (Aww, thanks! Glad you enjoyed the kids and their connection.)

 **Author's Note:** Just a warning that there wasn't much beta'ing put into this chapter. Lots of plot though. ;-)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

 **Dark Days and Bright Smiles**

It was the cold seeping into his bones that woke him.

When Muramasa opened his eyes, it was to a stone ceiling, a damp chill in the air, and the musty smell of death and decay. He was laying on a hard surface and, as he turned himself onto his side, a sore stiffness made itself apparent, like his body had caught up to his real age. There was a low hum in his ears and a thousand little prickles that danced across his skin and, as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he could see bars inscribed with all manner of symbols keeping him separate from the outside world.

 _'Imprisonment then,'_ he thought to himself as he struggled upright and peered more closely at the barrier.

It was a seal of some sort and had all the earmarks of Hishigi's handiwork. Probably, that was what he felt crawling over his skin and he tentatively reached for his ki, testing his theory. The results were swift and merciless as the prickles morphed into stabbing pains all over his body and he hastily let go of his power with a gasp. Apparently, his old friend was taking no chances on him escaping and he wondered if he should be flattered that, even sick and dying, they considered him enough of a threat to shut him off from his abilities so thoroughly.

"Well, you _were_ always one of my strongest Elders, Muramasa," a soft voice said in reply to his thoughts and he couldn't stop a shiver from working its way down his spine.

It had been twenty-six years since he'd last heard that tone - so calm and peaceful, with no indication whatsoever that the person speaking wasn't plotting a future filled with blood and death. He had to take a deep breath before he could bring himself to look at the man whose presence he hadn't been able to detect previously.

"I will take that as a compliment, Sendai-Sama," he said, forcing himself to meet the gaze of his former master.

The man hadn't changed at all. Behind his thick glasses, his red eyes were as sharp as ever and his lips were curved into that eternally serene smile, as if he were above the petty concerns of those around him. Unfazed, unruffled, unconcerned...those were all words that fit the man who crouched outside his cell. Some would call him tranquil, others would call him a monster who had neither conscience nor pity. Muramasa leaned towards the latter but his inbred obedience made it hard to look into that wicked face without wanting to bow automatically.

Accursed demon that he was, the former king knew the effect he had on him and those lips widened slightly as he said, " Strong, kind, and intelligent. No wonder there are still people who hold you up as their great hope to this day. It is truly a pity that you have made so many unwise choices in life."

"I mean no disrespect, my lord," Muramasa said, holding his head high, "but the only unwise thing I recall doing was putting my trust in you and believing that you truly cared for your people."

"Oh?" the king reached up and calmly adjusted his glasses and the air about him seemed to grow a bit darker.

The atmosphere in the cell became thick and suffocating and the former Elder felt as if a weight were pressing down on him. He could feel thousands of tendrils sliding around and over him and he fought with all he had to remain upright under the burden of so much ill-intent. His former king's killing aura was oppressive and made all the more terrifying because he knew that it was only a mere fraction of his power. The need to prostrate himself intensified but he resisted and stared at the man outside his cell with every speck of contempt that he could muster.

"Such audacity you have to stare at your god thusly," the king said in a light tone that belied the dark aura swirling around him.

"You are no one's god," Muramasa managed to grit out, curling his hands into fists.

"You may say that as many times as you wish but your very being is telling you to kneel before me. To return to the natural order of things," his voice was so soothing, urging him to do as he had been born to do.

"It is only a remnant from my origins," the younger man replied, "I can't bow to you, knowing what you are and what you intend to do. I will acknowledge your power and your knowledge but I will _never_ call you a god again. You are vicious and wicked, just as the rest of the True Mibu were and - unlike a real god - you _can_ be killed."

It was a bold statement to make and probably more than a little foolish for him to utter out loud but a tiny part of him wanted the monster in front of him to realize that being the strongest did not give him free license to do as he pleased, to take for himself a role that had never been his to begin with. His heart ached with the need to make his former master understand the madness of his course and he wanted the king to see how much heartbreak he was causing to his own people, to use his powers for good.

Alas, as he looked into that apathetic gaze, he knew that his hopes were for naught and the cooly spoken words that followed confirmed it as the king replied, "Is that why you stole the Demon Child away, Muramasa? Did you wish to use his power as the last of the True Mibu to remove me and restore the clan to glory through other means beside the death and rebirth I have planned for it? You are such a noble man."

Coming from the king's lips, it didn't sound like a compliment and Muramasa wondered if he was about to die.

"Oh, don't worry about that yet," the king said, reading his thoughts clearly and smiling pleasantly, "We've come a ways from where we were when you left and you are stable, for now. I wouldn't have had Hishigi go through the trouble of treating someone in as advanced a state of the Death Disease as you were if I planned to end your life the moment you woke up - regardless of how much you might blaspheme against me."

"No, I need you alive to set an example for the naive clan members who still look to you as their savior and to provide suitable motivation for Kyo to come home in a timely manner. I have a schedule to keep, you know, and I'd prefer to remove all of the obstacles – regardless of how pitiful they are – all at once instead of sending my armies out and having to hunt them down one-by-one. You know how I am, efficiency is key."

As cold-hearted as the statement was, the logic was sound. A wise ruler would do well to remove any impediments to conquest – namely Kyo and his friends – before he proceeded to make the towns and villages of the human world run red with blood. That didn't make things any better though. It only meant that they were on borrowed time.

The realization made him feel sick and he couldn't bear to think of what would happen if Kyo died. He'd spent so much time trying to prepare him and then there was his family to think about. Yuya and Aiko, the two people he loved just as much as Kyo and their friends, who were so vibrant and so full of life. An image of his sweet granddaughter being carried by Mibu soldiers flashed up in his mind and he wondered if she was safe and why the king wanted her in the first place.

"Always thinking of others, aren't you, Muramasa. Like I said, a noble man. However, you needn't worry much about the little girl. Her sibling has already been most helpful in advancing our plans and she is of extra interest to me as someone who carries Mibu blood and yet holds the powers of a shaman – truly the best of both worlds. There is a great deal of raw material there with vast potential for Hishigi to tap into it and increase the effectiveness of our new Mibu clan."

Muramasa didn't like the way that sounded and said quietly, "You make her sound like a resource to be harvested instead of a person."

"Well, that isn't far off from the truth but it sounds much nicer the way I put it, doesn't it?"

The idea of what the king planned made him feel ill and he said with more confidence than he felt, "Kyo isn't going to stand by and let you hurt his little girl."

"There are no choices when you're dead," the king replied mildly, staring at him with an expression that might have been genuine pity if it were on anyone else's face but his.

Silence fell once more and the king continued gazing at him a little while longer before he stood and stretched a bit.

"I can see that I've given you a lot of food for thought, Muramasa," he said at last, "I'll leave you here to think long and hard about what you've done with your life but I am not entirely without mercy. I'll send you something to read in a bit. It's the least I can do for such a _noble_ man. In fact, that nobility is a large part of the reason why you are still alive. You really _did_ believe that you were helping your family by defying me. It's a useless endeavor but I'll respect your strong feelings and make you as comfortable as I can."

The unspoken "before you die" hung in the air between them and those gentle lips quirked slightly as their owner read his mind. The king lifted a hand up and gave him an enthusiastic wave that was more than a little mocking as he turned and walked away, leaving Muramasa to brood over the fact that the kind king he had once known was now well and truly gone.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Do you know where my Jii-San is, Shinrei-Sama?"

Shinrei paused and looked down at the girl who was padding along next to her brother, their hands tightly joined. Aiko's eyes were wide and hopeful now that she had a full night's sleep behind her and she and Ryu had been chatting back and forth, catching up with each other. Her sibling was patient as he explained things to his sister who still had a bit of trouble conveying her thoughts. Even so, the two were getting along well and he was glad to see the boy's eyes lighting up whenever she spoke of his mother and grandfather, who he'd gathered was Muramasa.

Unfortunately, he was going to have to disappoint her and he shook his head in answer to her question and said, "I'm afraid I have no idea where he is, Aiko."

She frowned and Ryu followed suit as he asked, "Do you think he'll be alright, Shinrei-Sama?"

The older man hesitated to reply. He couldn't think of a good reason for Muramasa and Aiko to be brought to the Mibu lands, especially since it had clearly been involuntary. The girl was in better spirits now but he didn't believe that it would last for very long without some sort of reassurance that her grandfather was alright. For reasons he had yet to fathom, she liked and trusted him but, again, he wasn't sure how long it would hold since he was still a stranger no matter what her mysterious talk of seeing him in her dreams meant.

"Shinrei-Sama is confused," Aiko said in a loud whisper to her brother and the boy whispered back just as loudly.

"How do you know?"

She tilted her head to the side and said, "Aiko...I can see how Shinrei-Sama feels."

There was no trace of mischief on her face to make him think she was lying and then there was the incident the previous day where he had felt her fear as if it were his own and Tokito's words about her odd ability.

"That is an interesting gift," he replied cautiously after a while since there really was nothing to say and she smiled so brightly that he felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Where are we going Shinrei-Sama?" Ryu asked once they were moving again.

"I am taking the two of you to see Taihaku. If we stick around the castle today, I'm not sure when Hishigi-Sama will show up. You don't want him taking Aiko away, do you, Ryu?"

"No!" the boy replied, shaking his head emphatically.

"Who is Hishigi-Sama?" Aiko asked.

"He's one of the Taishirou," Shinrei replied.

"What's a Taishirou?"

"One of the people who guard the Crimson King. There are four in all and Hishigi-Sama is...is," Ryu said, pausing and glancing guiltily at Shinrei because he didn't want to criticize someone so important in front of his master.

"Ryu-Chan is scared," his sister said quietly.

"I'm not," her twin replied, turning away from her intent stare although his red ears gave away his embarrassment at showing weakness in front of his newly discovered sibling.

"But...," she began, only to be stopped by Shinrei's hand upon her head.

"Hishigi-Sama is a dangerous man, Aiko. And Ryu had a hard time of it when they last met," he said, willing her to drop the subject of her brother's fear.

She looked up at him and he could see her fighting with her desire to know more but, whatever she was seeing with her unusual ability, it stilled her tongue and her face took on a thoughtful expression.

They continued on in silence and Ryu's mood gradually improved as they neared Taihaku's dwelling until he was talking excitedly with his sister once more and telling her how much she would like his nice uncle, Taihaku. Once the door was in sight, he let go of her hand and ran off ahead, leaving his sister behind to walk with his master.

Shinrei stared down at the girl, who had started frowning the moment her brother moved away, and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to catch up with your brother?"

Aiko looked up at him again and asked directly, "Why are you scared of Hishigi-Sama?"

He froze mid-step and said stiffly, "I'm not afraid of him."

"But I saw it when you talked about Ryu and Hishigi-Sama."

He sighed heavily and replied, "And like I said, I'm not afraid of Hishigi-Sama. I'm more worried about Ryu and, now, you."

"Me?" she asked.

"Yes, you. It didn't turn out well the last time and I don't want the same thing to happen to you," he wasn't sure what was possessing him to be so honest with her.

Maybe it was the image of Ryu - pale, weak, and fighting to breathe after being taken away to Hishigi's lab. Or perhaps it was the memory of Aiko, sitting scared in the chair while Tokito terrorized her. It might even have been that she was a child and therefore he had no need to worry about whether she would think him weak or incapable for voicing his concerns.

There were so many factors to account for and perhaps he was stupid for getting attached so easily, but he couldn't play pretend anymore, couldn't act as if there wasn't something very wrong with the clan. What had they become that it was alright to hurt innocent children? To experiment on them? Or talk down to them like they were refuse instead of people?

He himself had been guilty of looking down on others and he was not proud of how he'd behaved in the past towards Kyo and his friends and family.

The girl stared at his face and he could see her eyes moving to and fro, analyzing whatever it was that she saw before her smile returned and she said, "Shinrei-Sama really is a good person."

She said it with such conviction that he felt as if he'd do something stupid - like thank her or pick her up and hug her for being such a sweet child.

"I'm just a soldier who wants to protect his family," he said, aiming for a pragmatic tone and trying to downplay her comment as he looked away from that bright gaze.

Aiko giggled at his gruff statement - her eyes dancing with secrets known only to her - before running off to catch up with her brother, leaving him to wonder exactly what it was that she saw when she looked at him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ryu watched as his sister exchanged a few words with his master before she laughed and ran to catch up with him and wondered what they had been talking about. A part of him was a little jealous of the attention Shinrei was paying to her but it was overshadowed by the joy of knowing that he finally had a flesh and blood member of his family with him. And what an amazing person she was.

From the moment she entered the Mibu lands and up until now, he could feel her in the back of his head and there was something incredibly comforting about knowing that she was there. Even when she had slept deeply the night before - having spent the night on an extra futon in his room provided by his master - he had been soothed by both her physical and mental proximity. He wasn't sure if her presence was so powerful because of her nearness to him but, as she reached him and grabbed his hand once more, he was fascinated by the myriad of emotions that welled up in him through their connection.

Apparently she felt it too because she hesitated for a moment and peered at him closely before patting the side of her head, as if she could physically touch the spot where he dwelled inside of her mind.

"Is that you, Ryu-Chan?" she asked wonderingly and he couldn't help but smile as her bewilderment and excitement were fed on a loop back to him while his own amusement was telegraphed to her.

"Oh!" her mouth opened slightly and then morphed into a wide smile as she realized that he was deliberately projecting his feelings.

Those red eyes narrowed slightly in concentration and then he was swamped by a wave of emotion that was bright, joyous, and so overwhelming that it made him stagger a bit and stare at her in shock.

"What was that, Ai-Chan?" he inquired, using the shortened form of her name because that was what their mother called her and it made him feel a little bit closer to the woman who had given birth to him.

"Aiko...I love Ryu-Chan!" she exclaimed cheerfully and he blushed, having never been told so directly that he was loved.

Shinrei cared for him and Ruru liked him, even though the older girl felt he belonged to her for reasons that were all her own, but he'd only known his sibling for a little more than a week and had only been in her presence since the previous day.

His natural caution kicked in at receiving what he saw as an undeserved depth of feeling and he asked quietly, "Why?"

She frowned, obviously not liking the suspicious bend to his thoughts and replied, "Because you are Ryu. Don't you love Aiko too?"

He could feel her worry through their bond and nodded slightly as he said, "I care for you."

"Ryu-Chan is my family," she said, as if that explained everything.

Her brother just stared at her. He understood to a degree what she meant. His master had been trying to instill love and loyalty to his family into him for as long as he could remember. However, After hearing the truth from Shinrei and remembering his ordeal back in Hishgi's lab, he was starting to realize that not all family was created equal and that familial ties were not an automatic recipe for being loved and cared for.

There was an extra layer of vigilance that had been added to his persona and the roots of mistrust only became further entrenched whenever he thought about being strapped down as he writhed in pain. He might not have been able to pull down specific details of that period in time but his body remembered the torment and the feelings of betrayal. With just a bit of concentration he could clearly Hishigi speaking about him in that frighteningly calm voice, like he was an object. He still admired Shinrei, but his unconditional love for the rest of their clan had been damaged.

Family wasn't supposed to hurt you.

Still, as he looked into Aiko's innocent gaze, he knew that she didn't deserve his mistrust. He could feel her earnest devotion to the people she loved through their connection and - lonely, greedy boy that he was - he mentally grabbed onto her emotions and sighed when his twin silently slid her arms around him in a tight hug. She might not have been as adept at expressing herself verbally as he was but her depth of feeling was genuine and rock-solid and he wondered if she had gotten it from their mother.

He closed his eyes for a moment and held his breath because he saw her in that instant. It was the connection between them, there was no other explanation for it, but he didn't dwell on the whys because he was too busy staring into brilliant green eyes. Aiko's arms tightened around him and he felt more than saw her concentrating as details slowly filled in around those eyes until he was looking at a face that was pretty and kind, framed by blonde hair. She was smiling at him so softly, a mother's smile and he wanted to reach out and touch her, cup those cheeks, stroke her hair and feel what a mama was supposed to be like.

It lasted until he ran out of breath and then his sister was sagging against him and he had to support her because her limbs began to shake.

"Ai-Chan," he asked in concern, wondering what was wrong with her and feeling relieved when Shinrei came from behind and grabbed the girl up, placing a hand against her forehead and staring at her with keen golden eyes.

"What happened, Ryu?" he asked in a serious tone.

"I don't know," the boy answered honestly.

Aiko stirred and turned her head to look down at him with tired red eyes as she said, "Did Ryu-Chan see her?"

There wasn't a question in his mind as to who the "her" in question was and he nodded quickly, earning him another smile – she seemed to do that a lot.

"Good," his sister replied, "Kaa-Chan always makes Aiko...me feel better."

"What did you do?" Shinrei asked and she turned her attention back to the man holding her.

"I showed him Kaa-Chan."

"How?"

"Ryu-Chan is special," she replied and he noted with relief that her limbs weren't trembling anymore as she continued, "When Ryu is sad, Aiko is sad. But Ryu-Chan isn't the same as Aiko. I had to make him see Kaa-Chan."

Ryu didn't understand what she meant and he could tell by his expression that Shinrei didn't fully understand it either. Still, he could feel that his sister was rapidly recovering from the use of her powers and was relieved when she started asking questions again.

A smiling Aiko, he decided, was best.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She really liked Ryu and Shinrei.

Having lived a very sheltered life, the number of people Aiko interacted with on a regular basis could be counted on one hand. There was her mother, grandfather, and Kyoshiro who loved and doted on her. Then there was Akari, who was still new to her but nice. And now she had two more people she could add to the list.

To her, the more people who were added to her circle of family, the better.

Ryu would always be with her, she was sure of it because she could feel the connection between them getting stronger by the minute and she was fascinated by how easy it was to know what he was feeling. She didn't need to concentrate with him as she had to do with other people because his emotions just flowed to her and, with barely a thought, she could send hers to him.

The girl had finally figured out, after having a dream the previous night where she was watching herself being carried by Shinrei, that she was seeing what Ryu saw and had wondered if she could send him images as well. Thus, when his emotions had taken a darker turn, making her feel his sadness as keenly as if were her own, she had called up the most comforting memory she had – the way her mother looked right before she hugged her or told her that she loved her – and tried her hardest to show it to him.

It wasn't easy. Ryu wasn't the same as her, she realized, and she had to force the image back through their connection because he couldn't pick it up on his own. Memories weren't the same as emotions and it had left her feeling drained afterwards. That said, it was worth it because Ryu was feeling better and the nice man was holding her again.

Peering up at Shinrei, she decided that he was still a very pretty man and wondered if he would ever dance in front of her the way he did in Ryu's memories. She knew that he didn't understand why she liked him so much but he didn't see himself the way she saw him. In her dreams, Ryu had already shown her the sort of person that he was.

Strong and dedicated to his family, he was a shining guardian to her brother and she could clearly see how hard the silver-haired man had tried to keep him safe even though he was unhappy most of the time. When he'd promised to protect her too, he'd been so sincere. How could she not adore him?

Hence, as she looked at him - with his carefully nurtured calm face while a crying mask floated just over his shoulder - she decided that she was going to fix him because his sadness was unbefitting someone who was meant to be her protector. She didn't know how just yet because she had a feeling that she couldn't hug him until he was better, which was her usual method for dealing with painful feelings.

Her new custodian wasn't a perfect man. She could see him donning different masks, one after the other, whenever she said something he didn't understand. He went from anxious, to suspicious, to confused and she wondered what it would take to actually make him happy. It was a real dilemma and, as he introduced her to a big man with a nice smile and golden hair like her momma, she decided to watch him closely and see what she could do to help him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I think your pupil is going to do something foolish if you aren't careful," Hishigi said quietly.

Fubuki paused in the act of reading over the results from his friend's latest experiment and looked over at the dark man.

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

"He is extremely attached to Kyo's son – I could see his desire to fight me over the boy the last time I had him sent to my lab. And according to Tokito, he was far too willing to take Kyo's daughter under his wing as well."

The head of the Taishirou mulled over his words for a minute. Emotions might have been a foreign concept to Hishigi but he was not the type to see smoke where there was no fire and if he felt that his apprentice's loyalty to the clan might have been compromised, there was no reason to doubt his assessment.

However, even with all his faults, Shinrei was a good fighter and a phenomenal student and he was reluctant to pass judgment without more proof. He could not begrudge the young man his attachment to Ryu. After all, had he not given the boy over into his care because he knew his pupil would preserve him alive to the best of his ability while impressing loyalty to the clan within him?

"You know that I do not like to act without more cause, Hishigi," he said at last.

"I know this. However, we are on the cusp of the most important epoch our clan has ever had. It is the culmination of the entire Reconstruction Project and we cannot afford to have dissent within our ranks. That is why Muramasa is here now, to draw out those who might prove troublesome."

"Of course and your counsel is sound but I cannot make a move against Shinrei without causing further problems. He is the golden boy of the Five Stars."

"I am well aware of that, Fubuki," Hishigi replied, "but you must balance out the potential to have years worth of work come to naught. There is more as well."

The white-haired man had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what he said next and sighed as he said, "What now?"

"I have gone over my lab and questioned my assistants extensively. There is still no explanation for how Tenryo was removed and how Kyo could have possibly gotten ahold of it. The seals I used on the blade as well as the door leading to Kyo's section of the castle were some of my strongest, the sort I would use to keep someone like Muramasa in check, and yet they were undone. Outside of myself and the king, that should have been impossible."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that based on my analysis of Kyo's capabilities as a True Mibu, it is not entirely inconceivable that Kyo or even his child could have done it."

Fubuki couldn't resist smirking at that and said, "While I don't doubt your conclusions, Ryu doesn't have the knowledge or power to break one of your seals and Kyo isn't strong enough to do it himself either."

"Not yet," came the simple reply and the other man's mirth melted away.

Hishigi was correct, it wouldn't do to be overconfident about anything - either Shinrei's loyalty or Kyo's power. Hadn't he believed that Kyo was far weaker than his own apprentice and look what had happened there, his prize student was soundly defeated. Also, he couldn't forget that the Demon Child had forcibly broken through the Hell gate, a feat that was believed to be impossible for anyone but the King and his closest retainers.

It seemed that a lot things once deemed "impossible" were happening one right after the other.

Fixing his black eyes on Hishigi, he asked directly, "What do you propose we do?"

"I think we should watch and wait. See what Shinrei does and how the two children interact with each other and with him before I take her in for experimentation. How he reacts when I come for her will tell me where his heart lies and whether he has grown too soft to be of further use to us."

It was a sound plan and Fubuki nodded his agreement. He would have preferred it if his student wasn't the person being put to the test but he would allow no one to get in the way of their plans, not even Shinrei.

The tall man let out a small sigh of annoyance as he remembered how Kyo's wife had managed to escape four years ago. He hadn't quite been able to believe his student's explanation that Kyoshiro had overwhelmed him and taken her away with the young man's desperate attempts to release the human girl from his curse fresh in his mind. The boy had been so anxious to save Kyo's unborn offspring and it was only his knowledge that the silver-haired young man did it solely out of concern for another Mibu life that kept him from punishing his small act of rebellion.

Truly, it was such a pity that he apparently hadn't succeeded in weeding out all of Shinrei's weaknesses as the boy's father had wished. The transition from old Mibu to new would go so much more smoothly if everyone would just do as they were told.

Feeling the weight of his office on his shoulders and the impending climax of their plans, he promised himself that he would put Shinrei down himself if the man decided to betray them. It was the least he could do for his beloved disciple.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sorry there was no Kyo and Yuya but they're coming up in the next chapter. Hopefully I can get some Hotaru back in there too because I think his reaction to Aiko would be amusing. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts and if you have any questions. See ya' next chapter. ^_^


	24. Guilt and Ashes

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Thanks and I won't torture Shinrei too much), **ThunderxShadow** (The Mibu are jerks, aren't they and the king is the worst of the lot. He's so two-faced! That said, Shinrei will be fine in the end and even if Kyo wants to gut him, his children wouldn't just stand by and say nothing. Also, Shinrei would definitely love them enough to let them go, he has enough on his conscience), **magicalnana** (You'll see what Hotaru comes up with. ^_^), **Rinfantasy** (Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind. If Kyo's baby girl grew up and got with Shinrei, he'd pitch a royal fit. Ah, but the possibilities, I am _really_ tempted to make it happen. Mwahahaha! I'm not sure if I'll have the king's secret play a role but Nozomu/Nobunaga is definitely going to be in here.), **Azure** (Let's say the king wants to make an example out of Muramasa. Glad you are still enjoying the twins and I understand where you are going from. People don't appreciate things as much if they never have to fight for anything. Obedience is not a bad thing per se but it should be kept in check by conscience which is why Shinrei deviates from the plan, he is genuinely bothered by the direction in which the clan has gone. It's why he's one of my fave characters in the manga. He is a good person who had to take a step back and figure out where his loyalties lay), **kyoandyuya** (Glad you liked Aiko's interactions with Ryu and Shinrei, living with the Mibu is bound to damage anyone. Don't worry about Muramasa, I won't kill him off. I was already planning to have Hotaru see the twins together next chapter, lol.), **Deby MU** (The thing about Ryu is that he kind of understands that he is loved by some of the clan members but no one has ever told him directly and so love is not necessarily real to him and it's vital that a child hear that he/she is loved. Aiko is sweet just like her mom and I have considered pairing her off with Shinrei when she is older, like I do with Sesshoumaru and Rin, but a full love story would be in a sequel if I can manage it. For sure, Kyo wouldn't know what to do, LOL. Muramasa will be alright and Hotaru will be Hotaru. Thanks as always for the kind review. ^_^), **abattles2** (Hmm, who says that Aiko doesn't have any fighting ability? Ryu is eventually going to be trained by his father but if you look really closely, you'll see where Aiko will get her moves. ;-) Also, the only person who doesn't really fight - and only because she isn't a killer and is out of the Mibu clan's league - is Yuya. All other female fighters in the Kyo universe like Shihoudou, Tokito, Saisei and Saishi, and Okuni are still intact.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

 **Guilt and Ashes**

Time passed quickly.

Everyday, for five days, Shinrei trained Ryu in the mornings while Aiko sat in the corner and watched. The girl was utterly entranced and clapped enthusiastically every time the older man finished demonstrating a move. She then embarrassed them by calling both them and everything they did "pretty". He had eventually figured out that it was the only word she knew to describe the things that pleased her visually and sighed every time she used it. By the third day, he grew impatient and took her aside to explain to her the difference between "pretty" and "handsome" and that the latter was usually reserved for males.

She took it all in with wide eyes, nodded at the end of his explanation and promptly started calling their moves "handsome". The basic steps of the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu school were "handsome". Ryu was also "handsome". And Shinrei himself was " _really_ handsome" – a distinction that made him blush scarlet the first time she used it. Eventually, he gave up trying to understand her fixation with him and the way she singled him out for compliments and simply did his best to ignore her while he worked on passing his moves onto her twin, who was improving nicely.

His pupil's enthusiasm had been steadily growing and he could see that the child really throwing himself into learning. His movements were slowly smoothing out although they were still a bit too vigorous due to a lack of patience. The ability to mimic him was there but he wasn't sure Ryu understood that there was more to the school than copying his moves. To get the most out of the fighting style, it was important to pour one's self into the movements so that one flowed into the other as easily as water.

It was just as much about finding your own rhythm and being able to adjust it according to your opponent's moves as it was about powerful attacks and manipulation of the water element. Unfortunately, his charge's personality was a tad too much on the aggressive side and the subtle nuances of the style were eluding him thus far. Of course, the boy's age factored into it as well, but he wished he could convey to him that he needed to balance his eagerness to fight with the necessary inner calm, otherwise he was going to have a hard time controlling the water spirits that lent their power to practitioners of the Mumyou Saikyou school.

By the end of the session on the fifth day, he was feeling drained by both his inability to get Ryu to progress to a deeper understanding of what he was learning and by Aiko's constant praise and focus on him. There was always a look of expectation in those red eyes of hers and he was getting annoyed because he didn't know what it was that she wanted out of him. In fact, he barely _knew_ her. Yes, she was a very well-behaved child and of course he watched over her, but he couldn't for the life of him understand why she constantly leapt over the boundaries he set for her.

As a noble, he'd been reared in a rigid household and his life centered around duty and obligation. He was also, by nature, a very controlled and meticulous man in his day-to-day dealings and he took his responsibilities very seriously. Having been raised by him, Ryu understood this and gave him space when needed and he was able to dole out as much affection as he was capable of to his surrogate son. It sounded cold and controlled but he had done his best to insure the boy knew that he was cared for and he was certain that the message had been received long ago.

Aiko, however, was another story. She was all over the place. Personal space didn't exist in her world and she constantly invaded his. Maybe the two times he carried her out of concern for her well-being were some sort of signal but she had taken to spending copious amounts of time being near him. When he wasn't training Ryu, she was always tugging at his pants to get his attention or making positive remarks about him - from his looks to his movements to things she noticed about his character - like he was some sort of hero.

When the lower-level members of the clan complimented him, he usually took it in stride and chalked it up to respect for the station he had been born to and a desire to ingratiate one's self to a member of the Goyosei . When Kyo's daughter said nice things, though, he didn't know what to think or how to respond. She hadn't the slightest idea of his position within the clan and had no reason to curry favor and she didn't seem inclined towards lying. Thus, he was at a loss as to where her flattery came from and what to do with the sort of open affection that was at odds with his aloof upbringing.

It also didn't help that her compliments were almost always followed with an intent stare from her that he had come to associate with the use of her empathic abilities as she tried to figure out what he was feeling. She was looking for something in particular from him and his lack of knowledge about her motives – no matter how innocent they were – made him uncomfortable. Although he treated her as gently as he was able and he _did_ like her – it was hard not to – he didn't know what to make of her because he was so quintessentially Mibu and her behavior was so...human.

Therefore, it was with relief that he ended his practice with Ryu and told them that they were going to see Taihaku that day. His intent was to give them time to play with the children the older man had been gathering together to save them from being dumped in the forest and left to fend for themselves. The idea had been given to him by the head of the Goyosei himself, who had offered them the use of his little sanctuary when he first introduced Kyo's other child to him.

The big man had taken one look at the girl with his wise golden eyes and smiled broadly as he said, "She's got her father's eyes, doesn't she? But that honest face...that's her mother right there."

His words had pleased Aiko immensely and she had smiled and immediately started calling him, "Taihaku Ji-San."

Now, as they exited the practice room with the intent to visit the gentle giant, they were halted by a hesitant young voice that said, "Ryu-Chan? Who's this?"

Ryu, who was holding Aiko's hand a usual, paused and turned to look at Ruru who was staring at their joined fingers with an unreadable look. Prior to the first arrival of the boy's twin, the pink-haired girl would show up at the end of their practice sessions and take him away to play but, he realized with a start, she hadn't been around for the past few days. He'd been so caught up with spending time with the twins and working out how the two were connected that he hadn't given a thought to the other girl.

As he stared at her, he noticed that her mannerisms were unusually subdued and wondered why as Ryu replied, "This is my sister, Ai-Chan. I wanted her to meet you but," he frowned thoughtfully, "I couldn't find you. Where did you go, Ruru-Chan?"

Her pink eyes gleamed when the boy introduced Aiko as his sister and her voice was stiff as she replied, "I was helping Hishigi-Sama with something. He said he needed to run tests in order to work on a new treatment for the disease. It's for someone _very_ important," she replied with a note of superiority in her voice that didn't bode well.

Ruru's gaze hadn't left Aiko once and Shinrei could see her mentally gearing up for a fight with the younger girl and what she perceived as a potential challenge to her claim on Ryu's undivided attention. A person would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to know that the older girl was extremely possessive of the boy.

Deciding to circumvent the storm that was brewing, the older man stepped up and asked, "And how is this new treatment coming along?"

Ruru shrugged and said, "I don't know but Hishigi-Sama looked kind of happy. He said it was to work on a really bad case. Someone who has been sick for a _really_ long time."

He frowned in response, wondering who the Taishirou was trying to cure and if it was indeed a cure that he was working on. One never knew when dealing with Hishigi. He glanced at Ryu and pressed his lips together silently. No, the infamous "Doctor" couldn't be trusted to do anything without ulterior motives.

"Are you feeling well, Ruru? You weren't hurt were you?" he asked softly, looking for any indication of mistreatment, and she gave him an odd look.

"It was a little painful but I'm fine," she said without hesitation before continuing, "Where are you going anyways? I wanted to play with Ryu-Chan."

Deciding that it couldn't hurt to be honest, he replied, "We are going to see Taihaku and his friends."

"Oh, then I'm coming with you. I missed Ryu and I'd _love_ to get to know Ai-Chan," Ruru said and he didn't at all like the mischievous look on her face.

However, Aiko overrode any potential objections by reaching out to grab her hand and asking brightly, "Can she come too, Shinrei-Sama?"

Shinrei tried to figure out how it was that the girl could read emotions yet completely miss the trap being laid out for her by her young rival in the making. Mentally groaning because he foresaw drama in the near future, he nodded and said reluctantly, "Fine, she can come along."

Despite his misgivings, he figured that Ruru couldn't really do anything _too_ drastic under his supervision, and, he was a bit ashamed to admit, it was also because that he didn't want Ryu's sister to get her feelings hurt. Watching how well the twins got along was painful. He knew just how heavy his sins against them were and was acutely aware of just how much responsibility he bore for separating them in the first place. It made him over-eager to indulge them whenever he got the chance.

So far Aiko hadn't panicked too badly about being separated from her grandfather and taken from her home but he also knew it was being mitigated by her reunion with her brother and whatever it was about himself that she found so appealing. He didn't want to upset the delicate balance they had found by rocking the boat too much and giving her cause for discontent. There was already enough to worry about when he considered that Hishigi had yet to put in an appearance.

As the four of them made their way to Taihaku's hideaway for the manufactured orphans of the Mibu clan, he kept a close eye on the two girls, noting that Ruru kept sending thinly-veiled verbal barbs at Aiko and seemed determined to assert her rights over Ryu's person.

Either it was age or innocence, but the attacks went right over the younger girl's head and she simply asked Ruru if she could be her friend too. When the eight-year-old tried to poke fun at her physical attributes, Aiko just told her how "handsome" - he cringed at her misuse of the word - her pink hair and eyes were. When the older girl brought up how much longer she had known his ward, that red-blonde head cocked quizzically to the side and the three-year-old said, "I just met Ryu-Chan. Shinrei-Sama took him away a long time ago. But it's okay. I love him and he loves me too."

Apparently the twins had been talking to each other about the past and her words, stated without a speck of malice, made him feel like a heel. Maybe part of his discomfort with her was that she liked him so much even though he hadn't done right by either her or her family. If she were raised as a Mibu, she'd have been taught to treat him as an enemy from birth but it was clear that her mother and Muramasa hadn't gone the extra mile to teach her how to hate him the way the clan had taught him and his peers to hate Kyo.

What rubbed salt into the wound even more was that her father was hated and mistreated simply because he existed and yet, Aiko didn't hate him even though he had stolen her brother away and helped to separate her parents from each other via a method that, looking back on it, had been incredibly cruel.

"Shinrei-Sama, are we almost at Taihaku Ji-San's place?" the girl in question's voice broke into his silent pity party and he looked at her, noting the penetrating look she was giving him and wondering what it was that she read from him. He had the strangest feeling that she had interrupted his thoughts on purpose.

He looked at his surroundings, noting that Ryu and Ruru were now conversing between themselves, and nodded as he said, "We'll be there in a bit and then you'll have new friends to play with."

Her face grew radiant and she asked, "Will you play with us too?"

She looked so expectant that he had to force himself to shake his head in the negative and respond, "No, I'll just continue to watch over you."

The girl frowned a bit and said, "Shinrei-Sama should play more."

"I'm an adult. I outgrew that sort of thing a while ago," right around the time his father had backhanded him across an entire room for speaking well of Kyo. His disgust at having an heir who was so weak that he had to be saved by the despised Demon Child had been expressed violently and without mercy and then he had been him over to Fubuki for training.

It was too late to try and reclaim a childhood that had been cut short but then, he had already gotten over it and shouldered his lot in life. He wasn't destined to be a "fun" or "amusing" person like his air-headed half-brother. No, he was the frigid successor to a noble family whose mannerisms ran a tad bit too close to sanctimonious for other people to be completely comfortable in his presence. His job was to be a sacrifice to the glory and honor of the Mibu while they died and crumbled away into magnificent dust.

If he weren't so well-adjusted, he might have been a bit bitter.

"You think a lot," Aiko said after a long moment of silence, with a sigh that made her seem older than she was. The air around her turned pensive and she stared at him with an expression that made him nervous before she turned away and rejoined her brother and his friend in conversation.

Shinrei narrowed his eyes at her back but decided to ignore her cryptic statement, focusing instead on a ki that made him tense up immediately. Taihaku had a guest and he knew _exactly_ who it was. As if his day couldn't get any worse, now he was going to have to contend with his annoying brother. He'd been right on the mark earlier. Drama, and lots of it, was incoming.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Aiko was getting a little frustrated with Shinrei. No matter how much she tried to cheer him up with praise, that layer of sadness remained with him. Compliments always made her feel better but it didn't seem to have much effect on him and he wasn't like her mother or Ryu where she could embrace them and tell them she loved them to draw out a grin. Her protector wasn't very fond of smiling and she had a feeling that he didn't like himself much because his perpetually crying mask took on a slightly angry cast angry whenever she said nice things about him. That constant pain just rubbed her the wrong way, picking at her natural desire to please everyone, and she tried to stick as close to him as she could because he grew even sadder whenever he was by himself and had time to think.

It had often been said by grown-ups that she was a lot like her mother and, had she been old enough, she would have agreed with that statement because, similar to her momma, she couldn't stand to see people hurt. Yuya tended to resolve depression by "loving" those around her out of their respective funks and her daughter wasn't inclined to give up on someone who was so dear to her brother and whom she really liked.

However, she was gradually learning that there was a time to attack and a time to back off and so she decided to retreat for a bit as they entered Taihaku's courtyard and she was greeted with the incredible sight of children playing with each other. They were a little odd - with an assortment of claws, horns, scales, and wings - but she didn't give much thought to it because they were laughing and they were the same size as her.

Her heart started to pound in excitement and her first instinct was to run over and introduce herself but she noticed something strange about the kids. They were piling on top of something or, as the object moved upwards, someone. She watched in amazement as they tumbled down and picked themselves up, trying to catch ahold of the person's arms as he raised them in a stretch before lifting the kids off of him bodily and setting them back down.

The collection of scales and hair that ran the entire spectrum of the rainbow eventually gave way as the children thinned out and she made out a single, red-blonde head that was quite similar to her own and a lanky form dressed in a red-edged, white haori with matching crimson pants. His ears, she saw in amazement, were decorated with so many piercings that she wondered if they were actually made of metal.

The man who was revealed yawned and moved his head from one side to the other with an audible crack before scratching it and turning to stare at them with a blank expression in his golden eyes.

Ruru and Ryu greeted him with an enthusiastic, "Hello, Keikoku-Sama!"

He responded by raising a hand in salutation but Aiko could see that he was confused by their presence and as he walked towards them, she saw his gaze settling on each of them in turn as he tried to puzzle out who they were. She took him in from head to toe and noticed that he was wearing weird geta with a circle cut out of them which gave him enough of a lift to bring him to Shinrei's height. His expression remained slumbrous and she was having a hard time nailing down his mood because the masks representing his emotions appeared and disappeared just as quickly, as if his mind never stayed in one place.

Once he was standing before them, he peered at the children in turn before looking at Shinrei and asking in disbelief, "When did _you_ have kids?"

Aiko watched with fascination as Shinrei's face flushed and his sad mask disappeared for the first time since she'd known him, being replaced by an angry red one.

"Even if you've only seen Ruru a few times, you've known Ryu for his entire life, Keikoku. You could at least remember his name," the silver-haired man replied stiffly.

"Eh?" Keikoku said, yawning again as he stared at the children.

Even at her age, Aiko could tell that the wheels in his head were grinding at an exceptionally slow pace and she nudged her brother to get his attention.

Ryu looked at her and she whispered, "Who is he, Ryu-Chan?"

"He's one of the Five Stars, like Shinrei-Sama. He's not mean or anything. Just...forgetful," he replied with a chagrined smile.

"Oh," she said, absorbing that bit of info, before taking a step forward, offering him a bow, and saying, "My name is Aiko, Keikoku-Sama."

Those sleepy eyes settled on her and she noticed that they were the same pretty color as Shinrei's. She was just starting to wonder if that meant that he was related to the other man - like how she and Ryu shared their eye color too - when he bent down until he was nose to nose with her.

A low warning came from her self-appointed guardian who said in a softly dangerous voice, "Keikoku."

She was gratified by his concern but she didn't feel any malice from the man examining her, only curiosity – which seemed to be the one emotion she could consistently nail down. The girl held still as he reached out and lifted up one of her ponytails before grabbing a lock of hair from his long bangs with his other hand and holding the two next to each other, comparing the feel and color. After a minute or two, he let the hair fall into place again and sat back and she wondered how he was able to balance himself on his strange footwear.

He scratched his jaw, inclined his head and said, "How weird, you look like what would come out if Kyo and I had a kid."

Turning to Shinrei he asked in a completely serious tone, "Did I have a baby with Kyo or something during one of my naps?"

"Idiot, you know full well that isn't possible," said the other man and she wondered if his temper always boiled so close to the surface around the strange, red-blonde man because his angry mask had yet to disappear.

"Yeah," he closed his eyes and tilted his head back as if that would shake something loose before his eyes snapped open and he pointed at Ryu and said, "But Kyo only had one kid. And that's Mini-Kyo, there."

"Yes, well it seems that he has a twin sister."

Keikoku shot him a look that clearly indicated that he thought the other man had to be lying as he replied, "They don't even have the same hair color. Are you sure I never had a brat? And she's a girl?"

He bent forward and reached for the hem of her kimono, apparently intending to find the truth out the old fashioned way and a white-clad foot connected with his head with vicious precision, knocking him into the ground hard enough that his skull left a crack in the pavement on impact.

"First, keep your hands to yourself. Second, she isn't a dog. The pigtails and clothes should be evidence enough of her gender."

Keikoku recovered and got to his feet with abnormal swiftness and she was finally able to nail down another emotion for him – anger, a perfect match for Shinrei's. The drowsy expression disappeared from his face and his eyes narrowed at his attacker, transforming his demeanor from a lazy house cat to a rousing tiger.

For the first time since she'd seen him, Aiko felt uneasy and she took a step back as the blonde said darkly, "I don't have to take that from an idiot like you, stupid Shinrei. So what if she has pigtails? I had them too once...I think."

The man briefly paused and frowned as he tried to recall whether he had sported pigtails once upon a time or not before continuing, "And besides, she could be a dude in drag, like Akari."

Aiko wasn't quite sure what being in "drag" meant but she found it interesting that he seemed to know both her father and Akari and asked, "Are you my Tou-Chan's friend too?"

Those golden eyes shifted to look at her and he said bluntly, "No, I'm going to kill him."

She shrank back, not liking the way that sounded and neither did Shinrei because he laid into the other man immediately and said, "Just how stupid are you? Why would you tell her that?"

"But you tried to kill him, first. Did you forget already? And you always call _me_ an idiot," Keikoku replied with a contemptuous pout.

"That's neither here or there," Shinrei sputtered, his mood shifting towards embarrassment as he shot Aiko a guilty look.

"Whatever, you're still as boring as ever. I really should just kill you and get it over with. I'm sick of looking at your snobby face, stupid Shinrei," the blonde said and the air crackled with energy to the point that she could actually see an aura curling around the two.

"I love how you seem to think you can actually beat me," his opponent replied, drawing the wickedly curved swords that were perpetually at his side and assuming a fighting stance with enviable grace.

"Better get back, Ai-Chan. They always wind up fighting," Ryu said, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the men.

She looked over her shoulder as she stumbled after her brother and stared at the masks each of them had donned. They were both snarling in anger but there was a slight curl to the lips, as if they both enjoyed their antagonistic relationship as well.

The atmosphere became charged and she was just about to ask if the two of them would be alright when a soft but authoritative voice said, "Can you please _try_ tonot kill each other in my sanctuary? Shinrei you need to fix that quick temper of yours and, Keikoku, exactly _who_ were you planning to fight without your sword?"

Keikoku froze and his fighting aura disappeared as quickly as it had come as he stared down at his empty waist before he lifted a sleeve, peering into its depths as if his sword would magically appear before doing the same to the other. His swiveled his head this way and that before the light came on and he tapped the palm of his left hand with the bottom on his right fist as inspiration struck. He turned and spied a kid who was running around with, and half-dragging, a double-bladed sword in his hand as he chased two smaller children. The blonde quickly pursued the kid, who picked up speed once he realized that his dangerous toy was about to be confiscated.

Taihaku shook his head and let out a long-suffering sigh as he said to Shinrei, "He came here and fell asleep in the middle of the courtyard and the litle ones decided it would be fun to pile on top of one of the Five Stars. Do you know it took him half-an-hour to wake up even after that? Sometimes, I think that boy is not of this Earth."

Ryu laughed and Ruru giggled while Aiko tried to figure out why the two men had such a violent relationship.

Keikoku finally reclaimed his sword and came back over to see them and Shinrei walked off the moment he saw the other man sauntering in his direction, his strides filled with purpose and frustration as he made his escape.

"Now he'll go off and dance by himself like a punk," the blonde man said and the girl looked up at him.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because he's gloomy like that. Didn't I say he was stupid?" the man replied.

She'd heard the insult before but she didn't like his use of it. She was becoming more and more certain that the two men were related and it sounded like a mean thing to say about one's sibling – she certainly didn't think of Ryu in that way. As she stared at her new acquaintance, it occurred to her that it probably wasn't a good idea to leave Shinrei alone to get sad again and turned to follow after him, wondering if she could help when nothing she had tried thus far had worked and secretly hoping she could watch him dance again. It was fun and she was learning so much from him.

Once she was out of earshot, Keikoku turned to Taihaku and said, "Does Girl-Kyo have a crush on him or something? Her taste in men is bad."

Taihaku chuckled and replied, "Leave it to you put things in such simplistic terms. She's hardly old enough to start harboring _those_ sorts of feelings but she isa very good child and Shinrei needs that."

The younger man appeared to turn it over in his head a few times before he crossed his arms and said, "Whatever, he's still an idiot," before strolling off and the big man swore that if he had a tail, it would have been twitching after him in annoyance.

Ryu looked like he was going to follow his sister and master but Taihaku knew that Shinrei would clam up if the boy put in an appearance. The water-user was far more likely to show an honest reaction to Aiko if he didn't feel the need to put on his "normal" façade like he did with the rest of the Mibu clan.

He stopped the child from trailing his twin with a large hand and pushed him in the direction of Ruru and the other children, saying gently, "Leave them be. Go and enjoy yourself."

"Yeah, let Ai-Chan have Shinrei-Sama for a bit," Ruru chimed in and the head of the Goyosei had to hide a smile. The rare-breed's possessiveness of the boy was on full display at the moment but he probably wouldn't understand why until he was a little older.

 _'It's so nice to see another generation in the making,'_ he thought to himself as Ruru eventually coaxed Ryu into playing with her and the two of them ran off.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Not too far from the Mibu lands, another group of people was making the final climb to a destination they knew well. Sunset was still a ways off and there was plenty of light to guide them as they followed a rarely used path to a place that at least three of them thought of as home.

Yuya had been talking non-stop about what he could expect of Muramasa and his daughter and Kyo couldn't help feeling excited at the prospect of finally meeting one of his children. The love his wife had for the girl shone through in her every word and movement and in the lively sparkle in her beautiful green eyes. His wife was so happy to have the fulfillment of a dream she'd been harboring for so long in her grasp that she stayed at the forefront of their group, moving with an energy that surprised him considering how much their nightly activities exhausted her.

They'd departed from Edo the day after Bon, Akira, and Okuni showed up and had kept up a fast pace towards Muramasa's house. The party alternated between sleeping at an inn for the night and bedding down beneath the stars but, regardless of where they laid their heads, he always took the opportunity to make up for lost time with his mate. Whether they were in the privacy of their own rented room or away from the rest of the group with his hand over her mouth to muffle her cries, he showed her how much he had missed and wanted her and she conveyed her love and desire for him in return.

A part of him wanted the two of them to adjourn to the guest house again for another three days of lovemaking once they made it home, but he knew he would probably have to settle for one. Even so, he grinned as he contemplated how he could show her a good time in the place where they had been joined for the rest of their lives and where their children had been conceived. The same place where she had first told him that she loved him and where he had realized that he felt the same way.

"You look almost happy," a husky voice said and he turned to see Akari walking next to him with a half-smile on his face.

"Her mood might be a little contagious," he conceded and there was no need to elaborate on who "she" was.

The shaman chuckled and replied, "I know what you mean. I think that if hope were distilled into one person, your wife would be the personification of it."

Kyo nodded silently, it was an apt description.

They walked on in silence for a little bit before Kyo asked, "You aren't jealous of her, are you?"

The other man laughed brightly and pitched his voice just a bit higher as he said, "Why Kyo, how could you ask a girl that so directly about her love rival?"

He rolled his eyes and Akari just smiled, his eyes focused on the blonde woman who was taking the lead as he said in a more normal tone, "No. She's been good to you and for you. You've changed Kyo, and not in a bad way either. I only ever asked for your hand out of selfish reasons, because you are my friend and I have so few of those. But what sort of friend would I be to deny you your happiness? Besides, I like Yuya-Chan. If I weren't seven different shades of screwed-up, I'd look for someone just like her."

The Thousand Killer smirked in response. He had no intention of ever telling Yuya, but he was immensely proud of the fact that someone like her had agreed to be his. She was too good by far for the likes of him but she'd allowed him to have her, to touch her, to love her as well as he was able and there was no letting her go if she ever came to her senses about the man she was married to. It would break him to lose her again because she was so much a part of him.

"Dang, she isn't even close and I can _still_ see the effect she has on you," his old friend murmured before sighing and continuing, "As much as I hate to break you out of your happy place, Kyo, I didn't drop back to talk about Yuya-Chan. I actually wanted to warn you."

He stared at the shaman - who looked away - and asked, "Warn me about what?"

"It's the Mibu. They're dangerous, we all know that but...," he hesitated to continue and Kyo stared him before an odd smell caught his attention.

Scowling, he inhaled deeply and his sense of trepidation grew as he identified the scent of burnt wood. It was too soon for the others to detect it but it didn't take long before Akira made a sound of consternation since his other senses, aside from sight were far sharper than the rest, and Kyoshiro was right on his heels. Next were Bon and Okuni, who exchanged a look – belying Bon's insistance that they weren't on equitable terms – and Benitora, who stiffened. Yuya, who was distracted by her own excitement and anticipation, was the last to notice and he picked up his pace, leaving Akari and whatever he was about to say behind as he moved to catch up with his spouse.

He was hoping to reach Yuya before she caught onto what was wrong but it was not to be because her steps slowed and, when he reached her, he could see a worried expression on her face. Up near the head of their little caravan, the smell was overpowering to his sharp senses and he had to pick up his pace to keep up with a Yuya who suddenly sprang into action and took off running.

Kyo didn't bother to tell her to slow down because he knew it would be pointless. He just followed her until the trees thinned out and she burst out into the open, stopping dead in her tracks at what she saw. Her eyes grew wide and he could see panic swimming there as they took in what remained of her home of four years.

Where Muramasa's house had once stood, there was only the charred, jagged remains of its foundation and she swayed, reaching out blindly as she sought something to hold onto while she surveyed the devastation. Her husband caught and held her hand tightly, appraising the wreck as well while he cast his senses wide, searching for any signs of life.

He grit his teeth when he came up empty and he scowled at the footprints that had been left in the soft dirt around the fire pit. There were many of them and they were pointed away from the house.

"Mibu," he said softly, knowing that no ordinary humans would have made it past Muramasa.

Yuya squeezed his hand to indicate to him that she heard him but her gaze remained focused on the ruins and her face was pale. He was just debating whether or not to inform her that he didn't feel the presence of anyone else when she pulled her appendage free and sprinted towards the long cold remnants of their home. As she ran, she cried out the name of their daughter in a voice that tore at his very soul with its pain and he had no other choice but to follow and hope that he wouldn't have to comfort her over a young life that had been prematurely terminated.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hopefully my sentence above about Shinrei being "well-adjusted" contained the appropriate amount of sarcasm. It's a little hard to convey via text. I just can't help picking on him a bit because he's so serious most of the time. ^_^

I've been asked a few times if Aiko has any power or fighting ability like her brother and the answer is a resounding "yes"! She might not be throwing out a Suzaku at some point but if you look closely, you'll see the hints I've been dropping about where her training is going to come from. I haven't been building certain relationships these past couple of chapters for nothing, you know. ;-) That said, I may not expound on her and Ryu fighting unless I decide to do a sequel. Anywho, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.

P.S. One thing I really like about SDK is that, even though everyone - from Shinrei, to Kyo, to Hotaru, to Akari and the rest (with Yuya's past being the mildest) - all had abusive upbringings, it is handled with finesse and we still wound up with a cast of truly enjoyable characters that each have distinct personalities.


	25. Sick Hearts and Hidden Talents

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Don't worry, Yuya has her friends and husband to comfort her.), **Rinfantasy** (Hotaru is always fun to write and he brings some much needed humor. Yuya will be alright and Aiko will help Shinrei in her own way), **Azure** (Shinrei always struck me as the type who would get embarrassed over genuine praise and you hit the nail on the head about Aiko learning his style of fighting. Since Ryu is the only other child she knows, Ruru doesn't really have anyone else to focus her affections on so she does like him a little. Hotaru is a mess, he understands that boys and girls have different bits and pieces but I don't think that the sex act itself fits into his brain, lol. Anyways, glad you are still enjoying the story), **kyoandyuya** (Hotaru is so...Hotaru and he isn't the easiest person to pair off. I could only really see him with Yuya or one of Yuan's sisters because he really needs a woman who is very strong to keep him focused. Ruru is jealous and of course Ryu won't let her get too out of hand because, as you said, he loves his sister. Lol, you just described a nice story idea, any plans to try your hand at writing it? Yuya with Hotaru and Akira as siblings is a hilarious image. I also thought Shinrei's style would make sense for Aiko who loves beautiful things and whose power is suited for dance in order to strengthen it, it was also an excuse to get him to lighten up since he's always so dour), **DebyMU** (I'm happy I was able to convey so many emotions to you. I don't mind couples with a large age gap as long as both parties are of legal age and you're right in that Shinrei does resemble Sesshoumaru with his coloring but his personality is all his own and I'm happy you like the way I wrote him. Yes, Ruru does have a bit of a crush but any romance between the two would have to happen in a sequel, the same as with his sister and Shinrei. Still working out the details for it though. I agree on how wonderful the manga is, I have the entire series of books and I love to take them out and read them over again.), **magicalnana** (I'm glad you are enjoying reading about Shinrei and Aiko, doubly so because she is an original character, and he is definitely going to do his best to watch over her.), **Guest** (Thanks for the review for chapter 18.), **J Luc Pitard** (I'm glad I haven't lost you along the way plot-wise. I have so many convoluted ideas in my head sometimes, y'know. I was worried about the last few chapters dragging because I know some people were like, "Where the heck is she going with this." More Kyo/Yuya and the gang here too and I hope I can continue to live up to the spirit of the characters and keep this enjoyable for you. Thank you as always for reviewing.), **lmamc** , **PoleDancerWannaBe** (Lol, Hotaru is a special kind of stupid but I love him. For you to say that I understand the SDK characters well is high praise indeed. Thank you so much!)

 **Author's Note:** Just a heads up that there is a little tearjerking here and an apology because I use an internet program to type this up and my connection keeps going in and out so I haven't beta'd this chapter yet since I keep losing bits of my work in the middle of typing. =/

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

 **Sick Hearts and Hidden Talents**

"Aiko!"

Yuya's voice was laden with desperation as she pushed her way through the charred wood that had once made up the front door, calling out her child's name while her husband padded silently after her. The acrid smell of old smoke stung her nostrils and she took shallow breaths, blinking her eyes from time to time to keep them clear as she waded through piles of ash. The blackened floorboards of the house creaked ominously beneath her weight and she had to step gingerly for fear of falling through the floor and tearing up her legs.

The bounty huntress paid no heed to the soot that was covering her feet as she made her way to Kyo's old room and reached out to push aside a beam that had fallen in front of the opening, flinching when a splinter stabbed her palm. Stepping through the opening, she took a quick survey of the space. The chest containing her personal items was more or less intact, albeit heavily damaged, but that wasn't what she worried about. What she wanted to find and yet, was terrified of coming across was a small body. She'd seen the leftovers of a bad fire once, back in Mizuto, and she felt sick at the memory of a corpse being carried out of the wreckage. Black and twisted, forever frozen in screaming agony.

She closed her eyes for a long minute, swallowing as she tried to gather the courage to search the half-room more thoroughly and then the rest of the house for the remains of her little girl. Lifting her lids, she took a deep breath and fought not to gag at the smell as she turned her head, scanning every dark corner and feeling somewhat relieved that she didn't see anything untoward yet. A breeze came in over the destroyed wall of the room and she gratefully inhaled the fresh air it was carrying, trying to work up the courage to return the way she'd come and pick through the rest of the house.

Just as she was about to perform an about face, Kyo's hand came down on her shoulder - warm, solid, and imminently comforting - as he said, "I don't smell burned flesh, Yuya. The people who did this might have taken them away or they could have left of their own accord."

It was a faint hope but she trusted his enhanced senses far more than her own and she grabbed onto his words like a drowning woman, turning around and looking at him with pleading eyes as she asked, "Do you _really_ think so?"

He reached out and rubbed his thumb over her cheek to remove a speck of soot as he replied, "Even if the clan has a problem with Muramasa, they're too arrogant to just kill him and burn his body here. Aiko would be of value to them as well, judging by your description of her abilities and their interest in our other kid."

There was a fair amount of logic to what he said. If her experience with the clan was anything to go by, the Mibu didn't do things half-way. She _wanted_ to believe that their conceit would prevent them from making the trek her father-in-law's house just to kill a man who was well on his way to dying already and a little girl who was hardly a threat.

Yuya couldn't hide her cautious optimism from her husband and he gave her a tiny smile before taking hold of her left hand and saying, "You need to get this looked at. I don't like smelling or seeing your blood."

She frowned at him and looked down, gasping at the red liquid staining her palm. The young woman had been so focused on the search for her child that she hadn't noticed how deeply the splinter had gotten her. As if her taking notice were a signal, the appendage began to throb and she sighed, curling it into a fist even though she knew it wouldn't do much because she didn't like to watch herself bleed either.

Footsteps sounded and they turned to see Sasuke entering the wreck with Kyoshiro in tow, who had a sad look on his face.

"Are you alright Yuya?" he asked the moment their eyes met, "You haven't...found...anything, have you?"

His voice was hesitant and her natural response was to reassure him as she said, "Kyo doesn't think either Aiko or Muramasa were caught in the fire."

"That's good but you only answered one question, Nee-San," Sasuke said as he reached her, flicking a glance down at her injured hand and frowning almost imperceptibly as he asked, "How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm...alright," she said with a smile that felt brittle, even to her, and the young man just stared at her with his penetrating eyes before he reached out to grab ahold of her good hand.

"You need to get out of here," he said, tugging her with a strong grip and forcing her to walk with him as he took her away from the wreckage and left Kyo and Kyoshiro to search the rest of the house to make sure they hadn't missed anything.

Bon and Tora crowded around her while Okuni and Akira hung back to observe, but it was Akari who marched forward and grabbed up her throbbing hand with surprisingly gentle fingers as he murmured sympathetically, "Oh, you poor thing. That's a nasty puncture you have there."

Yuya nodded and almost laughed as he broke Sasuke's grip on her other hand with a swift chop and, in response to the scowl the boy gave him, said in a teasing tone, "Don't get your panties in a twist. I'm not taking your precious _Nee-San_ anywhere except to have a look at her. You can fawn over her later after she's been seen by an expert. In other words, yours truly."

The ninja looked as if he wanted to say something but Akari didn't give him a chance as he slid an arm around Yuya's shoulder and guided her off a ways before pushing her down into a sitting position.

Kneeling down next to her, he lifted her bad hand once more and said, "I take my eyes off of you for one second and you're already hurt."

"It's not _that_ bad. Besides, it was just a splinter that caught me off guard."

"Whatever," he replied as a glow started to surround his hand, "I'm standing by what I said before, you are _way_ too clumsy."

Yuya grinned, knowing that it was his way of telling her she needed to be more careful and sighing in relief as her wound healed and the throbbing disappeared almost immediately.

"You ought to be grateful to receive treatment from the wonderful and gorgeous Akari-Sama and that I'm doing this for free. I still prefer to obtain a secret in exchange for my services but you're such a boring person, I bet the only fun things you have to tell me involve you and Kyo behind closed doors and I've already suffered enough woe there."

His voice was regretful but the light in his violet eyes told Yuya that he was messing with her again and she leaned back once he was done and replied, "Well, _excuse me_ for being boring. I guess we can't all be super strong or have special powers."

"Still," she gentled her tone and gave him a genuine smile, "you really are a sweet person. I'm so happy to have you as a friend."

The shaman flushed slightly and replied with less arrogance than usual, "Well, of course you are. Not everyone can be blessed by my magnificence. Although, maybe you aren't _that_ , boring. Even if you don't have powers of your own, Aiko would have had to inherit her potential from you since Kyo is a Mibu and they can't produce shamans."

Yuya's improved mood lasted right up until he mentioned her daughter. Maybe it was heartbreak, pouring in to take the place of the excitement that she'd had up until she broke through the trees and saw the ruins of the house in which she had birthed her children and which she called "home." It could have been the uncertainty about the status of her beloved little girl and her dear father-in-law. It could even have been the result of Akari's kindness, which was all the more moving because she knew he struggled to trust others and make friends.

Really, when she thought about it, her day had gone from wonderful to miserable in the blink of an eye and her grief rose up, as if to say "surely you didn't forget about _me_ ", and tugged at the corners of her mouth and eyes until her smile became a pained grimace and her vision blurred with moisture. She blinked to clear her eyes but all that did was set her tears free so that more could replace them and she pressed a hand to her mouth, as if she could hide her distress from Akari.

Where was her little girl? Her baby?

It would have been better if she could have cried quietly, with little ladylike sobs that she could use to hide the depths of her torment but that wasn't the case. Instead, her anguish took on a life of its own and sat at her shoulder in order to sank its wicked claws deep into her, drawing out more and more fear and uncertainty and loss until she was crying loudly and mournfully.

She knew her friends were staring at her and that she was making a spectacle but she couldn't control herself. Her little girl was gone, and alive or not, it was devastating. Not since she had found out that Nozomu wasn't her brother and that she was no one's child had she felt such pain and she wanted to curl up into herself - go to sleep and dream because she could at least see her child and hold her tight in her memories.

Akari was saying something to her and then he was hugging her, making soft sounds that were intended to soothe her. She _wanted_ to relax into that comforting embrace. His arms were strong and kind and she appreciated the gesture, truly she did, but the person she wanted, the person she _needed_ was...

Yuya felt him behind her almost as soon as she had that thought, so warm that it was like he was already touching her before he pulled her away from the shaman with gentle hands. Kyo gathered her close to his side with an arm around her waist and she turned her face away from their friends, trying to hide her shameful tears as she buried her nose in her husband's chest and breathed him in. More than all the words he could have said, the masculine familiarity of his scent and his presence broke through her pain and reminded her that all was not lost.

She didn't know where he was taking her nor did she care, save that it was away from the rest of the group and away from the burned out house where she had made so many happy memories. The last place she had seen her daughter. A hush fell over the two of them and there was nothing to break the quiet except for her sobs, which were gradually becoming more manageable.

Her husband maintained his silence and she was grateful for his understanding of her needs. She was finally getting to the point where she was willing to turn her eyes to the outside world again and see where they were going when she felt the caress of warm, moist air on her bare legs and smelled a sulfurous scent. They were at the hot spring behind the house and she wondered why he'd brought them there as she lifted her head and looked around.

It was obvious that the people who had destroyed Muramasa's home hadn't felt compelled to do anything to the spring and she felt a touch of relief at seeing something familiar. The stool that they had once used to bathe each other and which she used when she and Aiko did the same was still intact. For some reason, even seeing the steam curling from the top of the pool made her feel better. The entire environment was relaxing and her tears finally slowed as Kyo stopped and pushed her down onto the little stool before going off to fetch water from the spring and kneeling down to pull her zori off when he returned.

She grimaced at seeing her feet stained black with soot with a white outline where the straps of her footwear had been and childishly pulled them back, curling her toes to hide their blackened nails from Kyo.

He quickly caught onto her small nod to vanity and grabbed one of her feet, dousing it with water and saying, "Should you really be worrying about what I'll think of your feet when your face is already covered in snot and tears? Who knew the woman I married could cry so messily?"

Yuya blanched at his honest remark since she knew she probably _did_ look a mess and scrubbed her sleeve across her face as she said, "You are really bad at making people feel better, you know that, Kyo? And why is it that you always manage to see me when I'm at my lowest points? I've never been the type to cry so easily."

"I don't think worrying about your own child means you are easily upset, woman," her husband responded with a long suffering tone as he wet the other foot too and scrubbed at it with his fingers, "If you were a kid crying over losing a snack, I could tease you about it. But you're an adult, a mother, and a wife. That means you get to experience more things but the possibility of greater loss is there too and I've always known that family is important to you."

He understood her so well and she managed to crack a tiny smile, lowering her sleeve just enough to peek over it and meet his crimson gaze. So many people were afraid of those eyes but just knowing that they were focused on her was comforting.

"Besides, I'm always here because of your questionable taste in men," he continued in an amused tone, sloshing water over both of her feet and rinsing them off, "Instead of a farmer, you married the infamous Thousand Killer. As you said once, I'm never going to be a "nice" person."

She recalled saying those words in that very hot spring and chuckled as she said, "I did say that once upon a time, didn't I? Well, you might be a jerk sometimes but I don't think a farmer would have suited me either."

"Definitely not. He couldn't handle all that passion and emotion. A normal guy would take one look at that hideous face you're currently sporting and run off because he wouldn't know what to do with it."

"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically, "I'm not sure how I can withstand so much praise from you."

"My pleasure," he replied without missing a beat before reaching up and tugging her arm down all the way so that he could get a clear look at her and saying in a more serious tone, "and I can't complain about you blubbering all over the place. Better to see you here and alive instead of screaming your head off and choking to death on your own blood."

It was the first time he'd ever directly alluded to his feelings while he watched Fubuki torture her and she peered into his eyes, spotting the lingering traces of pain that the memory dredged up. It was how she imagined her own eyes looked when she stopped to reminisce about that terrible day.

"The Mibu keep touching what is mine and my patience with them has already worn thin," he said with a dark note in his voice that made her shiver as he reached forward to undo the ties of both her inner and outer garments before pushing and sliding them off of her.

He sat back afterwards and simply stared at her for a long while, his gaze opening admiring, before he laid his hands on her knees and said, "I know it hurts but we'll get them back, Muramasa and the twins. Do you believe me?"

Yuya nodded because she didn't trust herself to speak when he gave her such an earnest look while he promised to finish putting her world back together. His return had completed half of the puzzle but there had been other pieces added that needed to find their places before their family would be whole again.

"Do you trust me to find our children?"

She nodded.

"Do you also understand that I will kill anyone who gets in my way?"

"Yes," she managed to whisper and he gave her a smile that was pure wickedness.

"Sweet woman," he said, sliding his hands forward across her thighs, "you understand what sort of monster I am. A nice man would say it won't be for vengeance and that he wouldn't enjoy himself but...I'm not nice, am I? If I told you those sorts of lies, you would be disappointed in me, wouldn't you?"

It wasn't a question that he was expecting her to answer and so she didn't, focusing instead on the fact that he was there and that his hands felt wonderful. She also realized that he was comforting her in his own way, bringing to life for her his belief that Aiko was still alive and waiting for them to rescue her.

How she loved her husband, as evil as he could be at times. Even if she didn't always agree with the leanings of his - often absent – conscience, she trusted his strength and his promises to make things right. It was enough.

Those rough, sword-calloused hands found their way to her waist and he leaned in closer as he said, "I don't think you feel like crying anymore. Do you have a special request once I get naked too?"

She smiled apologetically as she replied, "I'm not quite up to having another round of our usual activities, Kyo. But, do you think we can soak in the springs for a little while. And..."

She paused, flushing a bit because her next request would probably sound overly mushy to him.

"And...," he prompted with raised brows.

"Would you just...hold me for a bit? Like you did the day after our wedding night."

He gave her a long, silent stare before smirking and replying, "It's boring but it can't hurt."

"Really?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

"Sure," he replied, "as long as we get to repeat what happened _after_ we came out of the springs on that day, at some point."

Yuya reached out and cupped the side of his face, laughing as she said, "You really _are_ oversexed."

"That sounds like a case of the pot calling the kettle "black", woman," he replied and her laugh turned husky as she bent forward to reward him with a kiss because he was right and because there was no one else like her Kyo.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She was watching him again as he went through his katas, trying to cool his temper down as he cursed himself for getting so upset with Keikoku.

Shinrei could keep his calm with anyone else - to the point that some referred to him as an ice prince because of how much control he tried to exercise over himself and his emotions. But the moment his half-brother entered the picture, all of that control went out the window. It was like what happened when you stroked a cat's fur in the wrong direction, a reaction that was swift and angry. Their personalities just abraded each other and they lashed out, usually over things that he would ordinarily have deemed too stupid to fight over.

Of course, Keikoku had no business trying to look under the little girl's kimono, no matter how innocent his intent was, but he probably shouldn't have kicked him. The blonde wouldn't have hurt her and he could have just nudged her out of his way until something else new and shiny caught his brother's famously-short attention.

He sighed and continued to move, doing his best to ignore the red eyes trained on him until she actually started to hum along with his actions, completely breaking his already weak concentration. He dropped his hands to his sides in exasperation before turning to face her..

His swords were held loosely as he fixed her with a tired gaze and asked, "Why do you keep chasing me? You should be playing and spending time with your brother and the other children instead of a grown man."

"But you're sad again," Aiko replied.

She was currently sitting on the ground not too far from him with her legs stretched out in front of her and both of them were a good distance from Taihaku and his orphans, situated close to the wall enclosing the courtyard. The girl wasn't staying still either. She wiggled her little feet from side to side, moving them away and bringing them back together with a rhythmic tap-tap sound as the soles of her shoes met over and over again.

"I think we've already established that I'm not the happiest person, Aiko," he said, "but there's no point dwelling on it when it won't go away until my family is safe."

"You weren't sad when you were fighting with Keikou-Sama," she said.

"That's because we don't get along and I have no time to be depressed when I'm arguing with _that_ idiot."

The child frowned and the next words out of her mouth nearly made him lose his balance.

"Why don't you like your brother?" she asked innocently.

He just gaped at her for a moment before recovering quickly and asking, "Where in the world did you get the idea that he and I are brothers?" 

"You have the same eyes. And when you get mad, it's the same too."

Her uncanny comprehension of something even Keikou wasn't aware of gave him pause and he looked at her a little more closely. Perhaps he was a bit biased, but he had assumed that she wasn't quite as perceptive as her brother. Of course, a lot of that had to do with the fact that communicating her thoughts took more effort than it did with her twin. She still struggled to refer to herself by "I" instead of using her own name, after all.

However, those crimson eyes were sharp and he decided that it might be better to re-evaluate his assessment of her. Yes, she was a child but maybe there really _was_ a method to her madness.

Walking over to her, he kneeled down slightly and said, "It's not well known that we are related."

"You mean, it's a secret?" she said, dropping her voice a few octaves as if the other people on the far side of the courtyard could actually hear her.

It was an endearing gesture and the corner of his lip twitched upwards involuntarily as he said, "Yes. You aren't to tell anyone, not even Ryu."

She seemed to turn that over in her head a few times before nodding eagerly and beaming at him as she said, "Okay!"

He didn't quite trust her not to forget her agreement with him but she was happy and he hopefully wouldn't have to answer more questions, so he accepted that there was now one more person who knew his secret.

Of course, he should have known that she wouldn't leave things there and as he moved to resume his katas, she said, "You didn't tell me why you hate Keikoku-Sama. I don't hate Ryu."

He paused again and, knowing that she wouldn't let it go, he said, "I don't exactly hate him."

"So then, you like him?" her voice was disbelieving and he wondered just how sharp she was to pick up and try to untangle his complex emotions toward his half-sibling.

"Like is too strong a word. I respect his strength but he's a disgrace by my father's standards and he's tried multiple times to get rid of him."

It might have been too much honesty because her eyes grew wide as if the idea of a parent wanting their own child dead was incomprehensible. It was hard for him to wrap his head around too, at first, until he realized that his father didn't actually see people when he looked at his sons. Rather, they were pieces in a game designed to advance their family's influence. Shinrei was the model son and Keikoku was his bastard cast-off - the wild, unwanted, and uncouth son who didn't fit his ideal.

"Shinrei-Sama has a lot of feelings for Keikoku-Sama," Aiko said in an awed voice and he wondered for the hundredth time what she saw when she looked at him.

"Our relationship is complicated," he replied, "And our conflicts are more personality than anything else. I want him to love the clan and serve it well as a member of the Goyosei but all he ever talks about is getting strong on his own. I went through a lot of work to give him the chance to become one of us without my father knowing but he always wants to do his own thing. He's independent to the point of frustration."

Just thinking about it was enough to get his back up and he pressed his lips together before forcing his arms and legs to move again.

Aiko laughed and said, "You _do_ like Keikoku-Sama."

Making a sound of disgust and immediately writing off her observation as a wrong interpretation of whatever her powers were showing her, he replied, "He is a member of the Mibu clan and my family. No matter how much we might fight, that won't change."

It was the truth. He'd long since given up on the idea of forming a close brotherly bond with Keikoku, the very idea was enough to make them both vomit, but that didn't change the fact that he would fight to the death for his sibling's sake. Yes, they threatened to kill each other all the time, but the unspoken agreement was that no one else was allowed to do so.

Aiko kept smiling at him with a satisfied look that made him feel as if he'd just given her something she really wanted. It was unnerving and his discomfort grew until he turned his back to her, figuring that it would allow him to better ignore her. Unsurprisingly, she didn't take the hint and he heard her stand and make her way over to him with vigorous strides until she was violating his personal space again while she observed him up close.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't stand so close when I'm practicing," he said, "I do not want to cut you by accident."

"Mmhmm," she said distractedly and he heard her take all of two steps away from him before she stopped again.

Minutes passed why she just stood there until her infringement on his privacy started getting to him again and he asked, "Why are you still here? And it can't just be because I'm so sad or whatever you want to say about me."

"Aiko...I want to see you dance."

"Yes, we've been through that before. According to you, everything I do is "handsome". That still doesn't explain why you aren't with your brother."

"I can always feel Ryu-Chan," she replied simply, "but Aiko...I don't always get to see you dance and...I like to dance too."

Shinrei stopped once more and turned to stare at her, blinking when she hastily rearranged her limbs into her normal standing position and stared back at him.

He frowned and said, "No point hiding from me. If you can watch me, then I can do the same to you."

The girl bit her lip, one of the few times he'd ever seen her show uncertainty in his presence, before she delicately pointed one foot forward and raised her arms, mirroring his prior stance almost perfectly, down to curling her hands where swords would go. For such a small child, her balance was superb – better than Ryu's he admitted grudgingly – and he stepped forward and reached out to adjust the foot that was supporting her weight from behind. She held the position for a few seconds with an unusually serious look of concentration on her face before her limbs trembled and, with a squeak of alarm, she toppled over.

Shinrei caught her before she hit the ground and set her back on her feet, holding her by the shoulders as he stared at her. It was her turn to become nervous under his scrutiny and she wrung her hands together while she waited for him to get mad at her for copying him.

He wasn't sure why she thought he would be upset but he _was_ interested in her ability to imitate his moves so closely and said quietly, "You're not bad. Why are you so afraid of showing me what you can do?"

Those tiny fingers danced around each other as she lowered her eyes and said, "When you show Ryu-Chan what to do, it looks like you only want to spend time with him."

She said the words slowly, doing her best to convey a complete thought to him, and he realized that she might have taken his grudging tolerance of her presence at their practice sessions to mean something else. True, he treated Ryu like the son that he wanted to pass on the family school too, but it was more about how focused he was on teaching and his low patience for distractions, and Aiko was a huge one.

Still, if her poise was anything to go by, she actually had some talent and he wondered if he could include her in their next session. It would slow things down since she would be behind in the basics initially and, traditionally, the more complex parts of the school were reserved for whichever male student was slated to inherit the role of performing the Dance of Water. However, there were no hard and fast rules against teaching her and it would keep her occupied. He was perfectly fine without another session of her calling him and everything under the sun handsome.

"You aren't mad," she stated after a while in a wondering tone when the sharp words she was expecting didn't come and he shook his head.

"It was not my intention to make you feel left out," he said.

"So it's okay for Aiko to keep dancing?"

"Wouldn't it be better if I showed you how?" he asked and her face lit up like he had gifted her with a lifetime's supply of sweets and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Then I don't mind. But if you want me to teach you, there are a few things you have to do."

Her face indicated that she was hanging on his every word and he had to force his voice to remain stern as he said, "First, you must do whatever I ask you to do during training."

She nodded.

"And second and third, you must understand that this is also a fighting style and that I might not be able to continue training you once your parents come for you."

Her nod was a bit slower this time and he hoped for both of their sakes that he hadn't just given her false hope. He knew her mother and father wouldn't leave their children with the Mibu but whether or not they would survive to claim their progeny was something else entirely.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I can't lie, I teared up a bit while I was writing about Yuya's feelings because I was thinking how I'd feel if one of my daughters went missing. Hopefully there was a good balance of romance and plot progression and I also hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I apologize again for the typos and hope my internet will stabilize. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think.

P.S. How many people figured out that I would have Shinrei train Aiko too?


	26. Deep Thoughts and Midnight Conversations

**Thanks to: lmamc, Rinfantasy** (It was a little hard to write about Yuya's feelings because I couldn't help but put myself in her shoes. =( Also, Shinrei doesn't know if Kyo and Yuya will stick around after all is said and done.), **DebyMU** (Glad you enjoyed Kyo and Yuya's moment. Kyo might not be a good person per se but he does take care of his own and he loves his wife. ^_^ Also, I think Yuya is the glue that holds the group together and she does a lot to balance them out. I'm still working out the sequel, I love the thought of how Kyo would react if anyone, Shinrei included, had a romantic relationship with his little girl. Thanks as always for the encouragement, you are very kind.), **Guest** (Thank you. I think people tend to underestimate how much children actually see and understand because at young ages, they can't convey their thoughts as clearly as older children do), **magicalnana** (No, Aiko isn't the type to want to kill anyone but it is good for her to learn some kind of self-defense. Might cover that in any potential sequel, still trying to decide if I'll do one), **kyoandyuya** (Yuya does have a rough time of things but Kyo is good to her and makes things more bearable. On Aiko/Shinrei, I'll be honest and say that I would pair the two of them off but it would have to be in a sequel. She's still too young to understand romance and he still has personality problems to overcome. I like both Shinrei and Hotaru equally but the former is definitely easier to write in a romantic capacity and I like the fact that he is so dedicated to his family even though he was terribly misled at first in the manga. I used to dislike Shinrei too but he grew on me after his fight with Kyo. I do think Hotaru's relationship with Yuya is more brotherly and the idea you had is cute, though I'd have to give serious thought to its execution because it's more likely to wind up as a modern day AU fic. On his stupidity, I think it's half mask and half genuine air-headedness, lol. Thanks, as always, for your review. I like reading your perspective even if we don't always agree on which characters we like. ;-P And I do think you should try writing. Practice makes perfect and I'm always pushing myself to improve because there are so many writers who are better than me. ^_^), **Azure** (I'm glad you liked the romantic bits and I'm sorry I made you cry a little. =( I always, liked both Shinrei and Hotaru and their complicated familial relationship and I look forward to writing about them eventually, sort-of, getting along. I would totally ship Aiko and Shinrei when she's older but only in a sequel and I'm super happy that you like my original character enough to see a relationship as plausible. Since Shinrei was still single at the end of the manga, I don't really feel guilty about creating an original pairing like I would with someone in a cannon relationship. I know about Fire Emblem, though I'm not a big fan of strategy RPGs, and I've seen the character you spoke about, she's pretty.)

 **Author's Note:** The beginning might be a bit disturbing but it serves a purpose.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

 **Deep Thoughts and Midnight Conversations**

 _The screams echoed across the room as he walked from one side to the next, making notes on his clipboard. The latest batch of shamans were in the process of being "assimilated" by Hishigi's four pet monsters and he wondered how long it would take this time. The subjects his master deposited in their cages often fought back and he had seen an admirable use of shamanistic abilities as they struggled to live another day._

 _However, it was always the same. They were only human and their stamina was limited. Usually within a day or two after a fight had begun, there was wicked laughter, then screams, then the sound of flesh being torn and bones being slurped as the four monsters in their cage absorbed the power and abilities of their victims the old fashioned way._

 _Often, it was his job to note down the events that took place, to analyze how long the shamans lasted as they fought their inevitable fate, and to observe the increase in power of the creatures who always came out on top. It was a horrible assignment but he did what he always did, which was to ignore his disgust and pat himself on the back with the assurance that he would never be in the same position as those other poor souls who had outlived their usefulness._

 _He was unique, the most beautiful of Hishigi's subjects. He was also the strongest, the most intelligent, the most useful...really, the list went on and on and he was proud because he was so special, chosen to bear the name Number 13. People with higher numbers came and went but he was always constant - different from those who came before him and better than those who came after._

 _A tiny smile to played across his face as he reveled in the certainty that his place was secure and that he was well on his way to reaching the same plateau as his Mibu masters. A cut above the fodder Hishigi experimented on who were fit only to be cast aside in the end._

 _"How can you, Toukichirou?" a voice whispered and he debated whether or not to continue moving forward._

 _He wanted to ignore the voice but it was rare that any of the subjects asked him anything directly. Usually they screamed and cursed his name up until their last moments and then there was silence once more. Hence, he paused his strides and turned to look at the speaker who was on the other side of the cage but far removed from the rest. Doubtless that why the monsters currently dealing with her fellow shamans hadn't gotten to her yet._

 _She was a pretty enough young woman - though not as pretty as him - with sad, sunken, gray eyes and black stubble where her hair should have been. She'd been shaven so that Hishigi could open up her skull and take a look at what was inside in order to see what made her tick. Her powers were more mental, if he recalled, and he searched his encyclopedic memories for her designated number_ _and list of abilities_ _– he simply couldn't be bothered to remember names when numerals were so much easier and efficient._

 _Eventually, he associated the appropriate number with her face and asked, "How could I...what, Number 267? Be so special? So powerful?"_

 _He fluffed his hair with the vanity that had become his trademark and continued, "Be so free while you sit there waiting to die?"_

 _Her face didn't change but he almost thought he saw pity in those penetrating eyes – it was a common physical trait amongst those whose powers were more invasive. The people who could reach into your head and pull out your thoughts - far deeper and far more dangerous than someone with Satori - or those who could read and manipulate emotions and feelings._

 _In this case, she was an empath and a powerful one at that. She'd gone past the part where she could just read and project emotions and had developed her gift to the point where she could make you feel whatever she wanted. Number 267 could send you to ecstasy or inflict you with a never ending wave of imagined pain until you would willingly slit your own throat to get away. They'd had her do that someone once, actually, pushing her to torture another subject until he eventually_ _ **did**_ _commit suicide._

 _Then there were the things that had been done to her in an effort to see if she could replicate and project the way she felt about the stimuli they applied. Pain, pleasure, and everything in between was used to extract the best performance out of her and their experimentation on her was successful and quite illuminating. Even the memory of agony could be reproduced in exact intensity and forced upon someone else at her bidding._

 _Unfortunately, like most shamans in her class who could manipulate the mind, her testing was the most rigorous so that she could be disposed of sooner rather than later, before she had a chance to cause real problems for Hishigi. Therefore, she was in the cage waiting her turn to fight to the death before eventually being consumed while he was roaming unfettered, waiting impatiently for her to say whatever it was she planned to say before moving on._

 _A pink tongue darted out to moisten her cracked lips and she finally elaborated on her statement by replying, "How can you stand there and think you are different from us? That you are anything more than an experiment for the Mibu?"_

 _"I think so because it_ _ **is**_ _so," he replied haughtily, "Unlike the rest of you, I provide a useful function to Hishigi-Sama. He said so himself, that I'm special. He's even trained me to wield a sword in addition to using my powers to the full and helping him out in the lab. No one else has that level of trust. I've gone beyond the rest of you and it can only get better."_

 _The words came easily and he truly believed them. Yes, he had his moments of unease whenever he had to record the messier results of his master's experimentation but he was safe in the knowledge that he was respected and valued. That he had transcended the label of "monster" that had been applied to him by ignorant mankind and become a real friend to the cold "Doctor" of the Mibu clan._

 _He sighed and said in a milder tone, "You're just jealous that you couldn't make the grade. It's a pity really because your powers are exceptional and your voice is beautiful. If it's any comfort, I_ _ **did**_ _enjoy the way you sang."_

 _Her expression said that his small bit of praise didn't do a thing for her and he sniffed in annoyance, taking a couple of steps so he could continue on his way, when she spoke again, "You are such a fool. Raised a female by his direction, trained to be powerful by his direction, and doing Hishigi's dirty work, also by his direction - it's obvious to anyone that you were always destined to be nothing more than a tool. We used to laugh at you behind your back, hoping we would be around when you got what was coming to you."_

 _Her words stabbed at him like searing irons and he pinched his lips together, angry because she was maligning both himself and Hishigi, who had taken him in when the rest of humankind rejected him and given him a purpose._

 _"Well, you won't be laughing much longer," he said spitefully after taking a moment to control himself._

 _The screams at the other end were gone and now there was only the shuffling movement of feet and chains against the floor as the monsters made their way towards Number 267._

 _"I know but I've already resigned myself to my fate," she whispered, "And I can look forward to laughing at you from Hell because someday, somehow, Hishigi is going to finish what he started with you and you will truly become the weapon he has been honing you to be this whole time. There are worse things than death and I can comfort myself with the knowledge that you are destined for betrayal."_

 _A raspy noise came from her throat and he realized that she was laughing at him. The sounds of chains grew louder and he glanced briefly towards the door, wondering why he was sticking around talking to a woman who was essentially dead anyways._

 _"I won't fight them," she said once she got over her laughter and he could see madness shining in her gray gaze, "My name is Ayame Hasegawa,_ _ **not**_ _Number 267, and I'll make sure you and your precious master pay for reducing me to a number. You're going to feel every bit of what they do to me and I pray to whichever Kami is listening that you feel it for the rest of your miserable life."_

 _That rusty chuckle sounded again and he could feel her reaching out of the cage towards him, icy mental fingers caressing his brain in preparation for invading it with unimaginable pain._

 _He fled, dropping the clipboard and pen as he ran for the door and threw it open just as the smell of blood and death reached his nostrils. A scream sounded and then he felt it, teeth closing in on his arms and legs, fingers tearing him to pieces and pain, so much pain that followed him a good distance from that evil room because Ayame's powers weren't limited by line of sight. Once her mind touched yours, you were hers until she either set you free or she lost all consciousness._

 _His flight carried him further and further away until he almost ran into Hishigi and it was only his quick reflexes that saved him from making contact with the other man._

 _"What are you running from, Number 13?" his master asked in that cool voice and he allowed it to soothe him._

 _The man who had raised him and taught him everything he knew was trustworthy, reliable - an island in a sea of humanity where people cowered in fear of his power. No matter what crazy shamans with accusing eyes said to him, he didn't believe for one second that he was just a weapon. No, he was different, he was special, he was Hishigi's friend – even though the man had never admitted such out loud - not an experiment or a tool._

 _He opened his mouth to voice his thoughts but the words wouldn't come because he found himself afraid of the answer. He trusted the Doctor but the seeds of doubt had been planted and he didn't think he could handle any answer that wasn't a direct "no, you aren't just a weapon"._

 _So, he simply said, "Number 267 was a bit unruly before the end."_

 _"That type of shaman does tend to be problematic. May I assume that you left your notes behind in your haste?"_

 _There was a slightly chiding tone to his voice and he hung his head slightly, hating to disappoint his master even a little bit. The Doctor expected perfection and he hated it when he was less than perfect._

 _"Yes, it seemed prudent to take my leave at the time. I'll go back and get it right away, " he replied, turning to go back the way he had come and dreading what he would see when he got there. He could still feel hands and teeth on his skin, the sensation of being eaten alive._

 _"Your obedience is admirable," Hishigi said and he halted, looking back at the dark man as he continued, "I actually have a project that I have been working on for quite some time. It should be ready in a few days and then I will show it to you as a reward."_

 _He hadn't heard of any special projects and there was a moment of hesitation as he wondered what could possibly have been kept secret from him._

 _"Ah, I can see the questions in your gaze, Number 13, but you'll have to wait until I show you. It's something that only you can use, after all," his master said and his voice was almost pleasant._

 _A smile touched his lips and he nodded before going off to retrieve his notes, excited at the prospect of receiving further proof of how special he was. He was unique and wonderful. Not a tool._

 _Not a weapon._

 _ ***End Memory***_

Akari opened his eyes, stared into the darkness of the night, and wondered for the thousandth time since leaving the Mibu clan the first time why he was still alive. Everything was quiet and still, peaceful as long as one didn't look at the ruins of the house where Muramasa had once been or remember the sight and sound of Yuya weeping as if her world had been destroyed.

How well he knew that feeling.

He sighed and sat up, staring at the remnants of the fire they had started and debating whether or not to go back to sleep.

 _"That Medusa Eye will see and report back to me everything that happens to and around you, Number 13. No matter how far you go, you will always be compelled to return here."_

The shaman could hear that cold, emotionless voice as clearly as if the man himself were speaking right next to him and he reached out to touch his cursed hand, feeling the dips and bumps of the evil thing that lived there. His fingers curled slightly and he dug his nails into that hump, wishing he could scratch it away, tear it apart, or even amputate his own hand. He'd tried that once but the eye always knew his thoughts and intentions and he had found his arm encased in a thick layer of stone that wouldn't let him do anything to it.

He had nothing of his own. His life, his identity, and even his body didn't belong to him. The only things that were his were his friends and even those could be taken away. His existence apart from the Mibu was a dream and he knew he would wake up once he went back. Once he was facing down his own personal demon who was tall, dark, and emotionless. Hishigi's brand of evil was scary because he could commit atrocities and make them sound so rational and so logical to the point that you felt like a fool for bringing things like a conscience into the equation. Morals? Those were something that weak people who couldn't get the job done hid behind.

Whenever he thought of the person he'd been while under the Taishirou's control - living day to day in a haze of false superiority and cocooned in the belief that he was singularly important to his master as a person instead of a project – he felt nauseous. That long forgotten woman, Ayame, whose humanity and individuality he had hidden behind her assigned number was correct. He had been a fool and she probably _was_ laughing at him from the afterlife.

Akari stood and made his way to the fire pit where they had started a blaze to provide heat and light. It had died down to embers and he picked up a piece of wood, stirring the red coals for a bit before adding it to the heap and waiting for the flames to show again. He sat back on his heels and combed his hair over his shoulder, absently wondering if it was time to trim the mane a bit to keep on top of any split ends. Depression was no excuse to let himself go.

As he stared into that warm pit, his thoughts turned to Kyo and Yuya and the warning that he had been trying to give to Kyo before they found out that his friend's child had been kidnapped and that the house that he had been raised in was burned down. He wanted to tell them that he couldn't be trusted, that Hishigi could control him through the Medusa Eye, and that Kyo might have to kill him. There were so many things that needed to be said and even more now that Aiko had been taken away.

It was vital that they get that girl back as soon as possible. He knew very well what his former master could and would do a shaman, child or not. When Yuya had asked him how he knew so much about his kind, he'd immediately pushed her away because he didn't have the courage to explain his role in Hishigi's work, what he had done in the name of experimentation.

Perhaps that was what had triggered his terrible memories. Ayame had the same powers as Aiko but in a far more developed form. While being an empath didn't top the list of the most dangerous shaman abilities, it was still very high up there and he didn't want to think of a scenario where Hishigi would get to use the girl against her parents. There were limits to how much tragedy even he could take.

Kyo was the Prince in the little fairytale that he kept going on in his head to ward off the pain of his reality and Yuya was his Princess. There was something so beautiful about seeing the two of them together that he couldn't help but want them to have a happy ending because he knew, in his heart of hearts, that he was undeserving of such happiness himself. To this day, he could still remember the way those gnashing, ripping teeth on his skin felt even though it wasn't him being killed.

"Off brooding by yourself again, Toukichirou," a deep voice said and he turned to glare at the speaker.

"Don't call me that!" he replied heatedly, "How many times do I have to tell you that my name is Akari."

He hated that name - Toukichirou Mitarai, also known as Number 13. It was a horrible, horrible title that belonged to an idiot who saw kindness and friendship where there were none. A wicked man who thought too much of himself and swept his crimes beneath a rug of indifference only to be betrayed in the end. Oh, the great, stupid, crushing irony.

The firelight played across Bon's broad face and Akari looked away, wishing he could have his solitude back as he demanded, "And what do you want, anyways?"

"For you to stop poking around the fire and get whatever's on your chest off so I can go back to sleep," the giant said.

"It's none of your business, Bon. Besides, it's something to do with Kyo and nothing to do with you."

"I figured as much since you'd never lose so much sleep over me, not that I want you to, mind you. Still, if you have something to say to him, you should just say it."

"It's...not that easy," the shaman said, deciding that it was safe to be a little honest under the cover of nighttime.

"Only because you always complicate crap," Bon said with a sigh, "I'd think you'd have figured out by now that Kyo picked you up because he felt like it. He's actually started thinking of us as friends now, courtesy of Yuya-San. It's best to be honest."

Akari thought on that for a moment and agreed silently that he was probably right. It was need-to-know information for both Kyo and his wife and he couldn't stand the thought of seeing Yuya cry again. She was such a nice person and didn't deserve what had happened to her family.

There was so much to dwell on and his large friend knew him well enough to leave him be. The two of them sat together in silence for a long while and then Bon got up and went back to bed, leaving him to work out how he would prepare Kyo for the possibility of having to fight both his friend and his own child.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya woke up to darkness and the feel of Kyo's arm slung over her waist. The two of them were currently ensconced in the guest house which had, thankfully, been left alone in addition to the hot spring. After bathing a bit and soaking together for a long while, her husband had shown her to the small house and gently reminded her with hands, mouth, and body why she loved him. He asked nothing of her, simply allowed her to lay back while he made her feel beautiful and cherished and told her in so many ways that he was there and that he was strong enough for the both of them.

Under his touch, her heartbreak eased and she could finally rest, calm her mind, and plan. Their friends let them be, aside from a discrete knock from Benitora so he could let them know that the rest of the group was setting up camp by the fire pit. In the meanwhile, he held her close and she spent her time combing her fingers through his unruly hair and telling him what she wanted to do once they left. They were going to leave first thing and make their way to Aokigahara and, this time, they had no intention of stopping until they reached the gate. They weren't sure if the gate had a barrier on it like it had the previous time but they were sure that, if Kyo could get through once, he could find a way through a second time.

It didn't really take much time to plan things. They simply laid out the goals and determined the priority in which they needed to be accomplished. First and foremost was rescuing the children, then came Muramasa, then came ensuring that the Mibu could never harm them or their family and friends again. That meant that Kyo had to succeed in making it to the Crimson King this time and before that came the Four Elders and before them were the Five Stars.

There were a lot of people that her husband planned to fight but she had confidence in his ability and that of her friends. Kyo had already defeated Shinrei and was confident that he could do it again if need be.

The fact that her husband could take on someone who had once given him so much trouble was heartening and she was sure that he could come out ahead of anyone in the Five Stars. However, she wasn't sure about the Elders. Fubuki had been on a completely different level from Shinrei and she wasn't sure Kyo could take that horrible man on just yet. According to her spouse, there were still more techniques from the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school that he needed to unlock and she hoped that he would reach those milestones soon. The years of struggling against the Mibu were wearing on her and she desperately wanted to have a break from it all.

After their plans were laid out, they relaxed together and she chattered on about her life apart from him and shared with him stories about Aiko and some of her adventures with Kyoshiro. It was probably pretty boring for him but he held her close and let her talk and eventually she drifted off in his embrace.

Now, as she looked around the dark room, she noted the bits of light shining through the windows from the moon outside and remembered a similar scene years ago when she was waiting for Kyo to come back from training and her only companion was Sasuke. Back then, she had moved into her husband's room and fought off horrible dreams of what would happen when Shinrei's curse ran it's course. The worst one had been on the night before Kyo came back and she remembered how alone she'd felt, how scared, and how sick she was – to the point of losing her dinner.

Now that she thought about it, she wondered if her nausea had been a sign of her pregnancy. Although most women called it Morning Sickness, she had discovered through the first half of her gestation that it could happen at any time of day and that any number of things – ranging from certain foods to even certain smells – could trigger it. It was an interesting thought and she took it a step further and pondered the possibility of being pregnant again.

Of course, she was dead set on seeing both of her children as soon as possible, but what about after that? She loved little ones and was perfectly fine with having as many as she could manage but what about Kyo? He would love his current offspring, she was sure of it, but would he welcome more? How would he feel about going through pregnancy ups and downs with her? Knowing him, he'd spend the whole time calling her fat and referring to the baby as his brat. Unconsciously, she slid her hands down and rested them on her stomach, imagining what it would be like to carry a child with Kyo in the picture this time.

"You're thinking so much I can practically hear it, woman," her husband's voice said from behind her and she gave a start, hastily moving her hands away from her stomach.

"Sorry to wake you up Kyo," she whispered back to him and sighed in contentment when he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and lifted the arm laying across her waist so that he could stroke his fingers over her hip.

"I was already up by the time you opened your eyes," he murmured before tracing his tongue up the side of her throat until he reached the back of her ear and placed another kiss there, making her giggle a bit.

"And here I thought I was being so quiet. How did you know when I woke up?" she asked, debating between leaning back to enjoy his ministrations and conversing with him.

His breath rustled the hairs at her nape as he replied, "Most people don't wake up quietly. In your case, your heart speeds up and your breathing increases. And your ki increases slightly once your eyes open and you are aware of your surroundings. Also, no matter how still you think you're being, there are any number of small movements your body makes."

"Wow, that's...detailed," she replied, impressed with the sensitivity of his senses.

"I'd be a joke of a warrior if I wasn't always aware of my surroundings," he replied with a touch of arrogance and she rolled her eyes - some things never changed.

Deciding to tease him a bit, she asked him innocently, "So how exactly was I able to smack the back of your head that one time?"

He stiffened almost imperceptibly and she wondered if she had asked him something taboo before he replied, "Because you are my one exception."

She frowned, not quite sure what he meant but he elaborated by saying, "I trust you. It's not a matter of you being too weak to really harm me but a matter of you being Yuya."

"Oh," she didn't have a response to such a candid statement and she suspected that he wouldn't appreciate it if she tried to turn around to get a look at his face so she simply scooted closer to him and lifted a hand to entwine her fingers with the ones he was using to touch her hip.

"I think I rather like being an exception," she said after a moment, "it let's me keep you in line when you say and do stupid things from time to time."

He made an annoyed sound and she laughed softly to let him know that she didn't _really_ plan to smack him around whenever he was being a jerk, like he'd been the last time she had to do it. Maybe only every once in a while.

She could almost hear him grumbling mentally about what an insufferable woman she was before he changed the subject and said, "Since it's obvious that you're in a chatty mood and that I'm not about to get any, what were you thinking about?"

It was her turn to tense up and she hesitated for a second before saying quietly, "Just imagining what it would be like to have you around if I ever got pregnant again."

The hand beneath hers flexed and he didn't say anything for a full minute before he replied, "Are you...pregnant again?"

There was such an uncertain note to his voice that she didn't have the heart to laugh at the absurdity of his question and instead she said gently, "It's far too soon for me to know whether I am or not. We've only been back together for a short while, Kyo."

"It only took me three days to get you knocked up last time," he replied.

She winced a bit at his poor choice of words and said, "While it's always possible, especially considering that we've been doing a phenomenal job of making up for lost time," he made a pleased sound and she made a note to deflate his ego a smidge at some point before he got even more insufferably proud of his bedroom prowess.

"I wouldn't possibly know until a month or two in," she finished.

He made an unreadable noise and she continued, "The question is, how do you feel about having more children?"

He fell silent again and she waited as patiently as she could for him to formulate his reply. She didn't realize that she was holding her breath until he answered, "I...don't mind more. I just don't know what to do with the ones we have."

She let out the air she was holding and said, "It's tiring and hard at times but enjoyable. I think you'll be able to figure it out, given enough time. And," she rotated around so that she could face him, catching just the gleam of his red eyes in the moonlight, "I think you might wind up being a better father than you think."

He let out a snort of laughter and replied, "Muramasa was the closest thing I ever had to a father and I still came out crazy. I'll teach our boy how to fight and but you'll have to show him how to find a good woman and how to treat her."

"My, my, he's only three-and-a-half. Already thinking of his future wife, are you?" she asked teasingly.

"Considering most of my closest experiences with women were inside brothels, I didn't think you would feel comfortable with the boy following in my footsteps."

"Yeah, point taken. I'll make sure I shoo Ryu away from women of negotiable virtue and see if we can't encourage him to find a nice girl to settle down with. I won't force anyone on him but I'll make sure he knows what to look for in a wife. Although your good taste came through eventually, didn't it? You picked _me_ in the end."

He made a non-committal sound and she controlled a sudden urge to pinch him.

"And what about Aiko? What will you do with her?" she asked after a second or two.

"Lock her away to make sure nothing with a wang gets anywhere near her," he replied bluntly and she let out a snort of laughter.

"Isn't that a bit of a double standard? Ryu gets to find love while Aiko grows old and gray by herself?"

"I'm fine with that," he said and she could tell that he was serious too.

Finding his over-protectiveness towards his daughter to be positively adorable, if impractical, she decided to try another approach and said, "Let's look at it from a different angle. We'll put aside your belief that she's never supposed to get married and do the things the two of us do when we have time and bare skin on our side. If you had to choose, what sort of man would be allowed to look at her?"

Her husband mulled it over for a second before saying, "Someone who isn't like me or my idiot Shiseiten. Don't get me wrong, they're strong enough and fun to kick back and fight with but I'd rather gouge my eyes out than turn any child of mine over to people like them."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Kyo," she said with amusement, "They'll all be significantly older than her by the time she's of age to get married."

"Age doesn't always factor into it, woman. Muramasa is freaking old and he had all sorts of women flirting with him when we first settled down here."

"Yes, but he had extenuating circumstances. Not every man is blessed with eternal youth and ridiculous good looks like the Mibu are. Now, come on and tell me what sort of features would make him good enough to marry your little girl."

"He'd have to be strong. Preferably good enough to last in a fight with me," she looked at him as if he were insane since the number of normal humans who could do that was limited to his Shiseiten.

"There's no point in giving her away if the man can't even come close to matching the level of protection I can give her."

"I guess that makes a sort of sense. Although, how many people of Mibu caliber are likely to come after her as an adult? And can't she learn to fight for herself?" she asked.

"She's my daughter. It's always possible that someone will target her and, regardless of how strong she is, I won't have a weakling marrying my girl."

"Fine. So he has to be strong. What else? How about his personality? If he can't be like our friends, then can you elaborate on his other necessary qualities?"

"He can't be weak-willed. And he'll need to know how to treat her. Someone who will lay down his life for her and whatever children they might have."

"So, you want a man who _isn't_ like you – even though I think you're wonderful, in a jerk-ish sort of way. This man also needs to be both physically and mentally strong enough to fight you - of all people - which is just unreasonable if I do say so myself."

"He needs to be good-looking too," Kyo added.

Yuya rolled her eyes because she knew he was just making up extra requirements to narrow the field down even more.

"Oh yes, he absolutely _must_ be as gorgeous as you," she agreed sarcastically before continuing, "And he should be someone who will be good to her and sacrifice himself for his family if need be. Sounds like you want some sort of paragon."

"Exactly, which is why no man will ever be good enough and why I've won this conversation."

It was such a childish conclusion to draw and she just shook her head and reached up to ruffle his hair, deciding to broach the subject at a later date, preferably when the kids were in their custody once more and old enough to even care about marriage. Whoever they picked, she was sure that with both herself and Kyo to guide them, they would wind up with perfectly acceptable mates.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I know this was a little slow, but there won't be much time for Kyo and Yuya to have frank and open conversations about more kids and the future once they hit the Mibu lands in a chapter or two. Also, it's just fun write him as a father.

Still, I hope I didn't freak you out too much with Akari's past. They always glossed over it in the manga but he _was_ in the thick of things during Hishigi's experiments as his assistant and you could tell that it just haunted him, poor thing. I know I used the word "special" here a lot and it was for a reason.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed and there will be more plot progress next chapter. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	27. Open Invitations and Strange Visits

**Thanks to: DebyMU** (You are right, Kyo and Yuya would appreciate the truth more than anything else. I hate writing about Akari's past but I wanted to explore a little why he is the way he is with his personality and hatred of his real name. Daddy Kyo is so much fun to write. I think he's a better father than he gives himself credit for but he's so awkward about his emotions. He'll definitely be annoyed when he sees how much his kids like Shinrei – more so if Aiko takes it a step further in the future - but it'll all work out. I won't say what will happen in the end, that would be a spoiler. =P But it'll be a happy one.), **general zargon** (Akari always had such moments of sadness in the manga that I figured his past must have been really dark, even prior to Hishigi saddling him with the Medusa Eye. Kyo just makes for a funny dad and I couldn't resist since they won't really have time to cover these sorts of things at the Mibu. Glad you enjoyed), **Azure** (You are right. Akari was naïve and I think it made him even more bitter to realize that he had been taken advantage of by Hishigi. I didn't like Akari at first either but I came to realize that he made for great comedy – the running joke is that he's "female" but he's so masculine that you just have to chuckle – and that he's a genuine sweetheart. Kyo would definitely flip-out if Aiko brought Shinrei home but he _did_ describe him perfectly as a potential marriage mate. ;-P Thanks for the compliment about the potential of that pairing and I agree with you about Hotaru's character. I kind of think of him like an idiot savant when it comes to fighting (kind of like Goku) but he's also capable in other areas as well, he just needs to mature a bit.), **kyoandyuya** (Lol, you aren't heartless, you just have specific likes. No problem. I do try to give a little bit of background to all of the characters, especially those who didn't get much like Akari, but Yuya and especially Daddy Kyo are still the most fun to write. ^_^ He'll love his baby girl when he meets her but all children must grow up someday. I can't confirm anything about more kids since that would be a spoiler but I'll see about using the names you put forth if I can make them fit. ;-)), **lmamc** (Thank you. My own father was really protective of us and it was nice to have one who cared enough to make sure we didn't get taken advantage of. There are some truly horrible guys out there. =/), **Rinfantasy** (I've always felt so bad for Akari since he had such an obviously sad life. =( And you are correct, Kyo perfectly described Shinrei but he doesn't know that. Also, I'm convinced that our resident water-user would make an awesome husband and father. ^_^), **magicalnana** (There's some fighting ahead but the reunion is incoming.), **Guest** (Lol, Kyo always struck me as the type who would do whatever it takes to protect those he cares about and since he so clearly loves Yuya in the manga, I think he would also love any offspring he might have.), **J Luc Pitard** (Glad you like the pacing and the glimpse into Akari's background. As for whether he'll confess, the situation is a bit more urgent this time with kids involved so he doesn't have much choice. You'll see below.)

 **Author's Note:** Finally some action!

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five**

 **Open Invitations and Strange Visits**

The next day dawned bright and early and Kyo and his group packed up and pushed on to Aokigahara, making good time and traveling through the forest quickly. Unlike the last time they'd made the trip, they didn't stop partway through, opting instead to push forward to the Hell gate and camping in front of it overnight. They were not bothered by the residents of the forest, not even when darkness fell, and Kyo suspected that the inhabitants could sense that they were no match for them. It was similar to their previous visit and he was pleased - they didn't have time to deal with small fry.

He slept that night with his wife snuggled close and woke again the next day determined to break through the gate again and, as he rose, he noticed that Akari was standing in front of the doors with a perplexed look on his face. It was still early and the atmosphere was as gloomy as ever with wisps of gray fog and similarly colored sunlight highlighting the canopy overhead.

Disentangling himself from his sleeping spouse, the Thousand Killer stood, stretched, and made his way over to the shaman, intending to scout the talk ahead and wondering what had the other man's panties in a bunch. He didn't look forward to having to bust his behind to get through the barrier they kept on the gate again – there was no way they hadn't replaced and reinforced it – and he hoped he wouldn't have to half-kill himself to break it. Getting out had been easy because most Mibu had no interest in leaving to see the outside world but he knew getting back in was a different story.

As he reached Akari, the shaman turned to look at him and said with a worried tone, "It's gone."

It took a moment for Kyo to register what he was saying but when he did, he frowned and replied, "Why? How?"

"I don't know. This isn't like the last time when I came back here and found out that you'd broken it."

It dawned on Kyo what his old friend was saying and he narrowed his eyes as he said, "I don't recall you telling me that you came here willingly after I got captured four years ago. And I also don't remember telling you that I had to break the barrier."

The other man stiffened and a guilty look flashed over his face before he let out a tiny sigh and said with uncharacteristic meekness, "That's...because you didn't."

There was a story to be heard and since they were waiting for everyone else to wake-up, Kyo was all for squeezing the truth out of Akari if there was information he needed to know about what the shaman had been doing in his absence. It was fine and good for them to hang out together years ago as Demon Eyes Kyo and his Shiseiten but he had other people to worry about now - namely a wife and children - and he wouldn't tolerate any secrets that might bring harm to his loved ones. He'd gone through his own personal hell once with Yuya and had no interest in repeating the experience.

The silence was thick in the air while he waited for his friend to elaborate and it didn't take very long before the shaman said quietly, "I _do_ have a few confessions to make, Kyo. I know you first met me because I had supposedly stolen some important scrolls containing Mibu secrets from them. That was actually a lie."

For some reason, Kyo wasn't surprised in the slightest. Akari had always been incredibly secretive about his past, only telling them as much as he deemed necessary, and he hadn't probed too deeply. He'd always known that they would all have to fight each other at some point and he himself was a very private person, so he never pried too deeply. The past was unimportant when a person was only living for his or herself and had no strings to hold them down. However, once family entered into it, things changed and he sensed that he wasn't going to like what the other man said next.

"It wasn't a lie that I was experimented on. I know I told you that once when you asked me where the Medusa Eye came from. I just never told you that it was Hishigi himself who embedded it in my hand. That part wasn't voluntary but my life up until that point was wholly given over to the Mibu."

Violet eyes glanced up at him nervously from beneath long lashes before the other man continued, "While it is absolutely true that most shamans were hunted down and either outright killed or taken by the clan, there were people like me who came to them willingly. I was only a child when I entered joined the Mibu but even then I was incredibly powerful...and incredibly lonely. So much so that I had a complete disdain for the rest of humanity and wanted them to disappear."

He paused again and Kyo saw his right hand twitch, doubtless because he was controlling his habit of rubbing his cursed hand whenever his emotions were running high.

"I thought that I could reject the rest of the world since they had already rejected me and that, if they only wanted to view me as a monster, then a monster I would become," he finished after a while.

His voice was calm but Kyo could see his gloved hand tightening around his shakujo and said nothing, allowing him to continue with his story.

"Anyways, I was singled out by Hishigi from the beginning. According to him I was different and special and he took me under his wing as it were, teaching me everything I needed to know to assist him in his lab. I was his brightest and best student as well as one of the strongest shamans he had access to. I was raised as a priestess because he willed it, telling me that I would be even stronger if I did so, and I threw myself into it. I worked hard at becoming the best female I could be because that was his will and I didn't want to disappoint the person who had become my savior."

Loneliness and a hint of humiliation at how desperate he had been colored his tone as he went on, "I learned so much from him. Science, mysticism and everything in between, even fighting…these were all things he asked of me and I threw myself whole-heartedly into learning them. I was his most trusted assistant and I did anything I could to please him because I couldn't stomach the thought of losing my prestige, my place in the world. No matter how immoral the deed, I did as he asked because I was confident that I was vital to his plans, necessary for his desire to bring the clan to greater heights."

"As it turns out, I was right," he said with a bitter smile, "I _was_ necessary for his goals...but as a spy and as a weapon and the day I found that out was the worst day of my life. I had deluded myself, believing in the fantasy my master had spun for me of being his chosen one when the reality of it was that he was grooming me for his ultimate experiment. It was my greatest betrayal and my greatest shame."

"I was originally sent to spy on you, Kyo. The eye serves as a constant connection to Hishigi and he only reconfirmed that fact when I returned here four years ago after your battle with the clan and he informed me of what had happened."

"If you are so important to him, then why did he let you leave again?" Kyo asked, turning this new information over in his head.

"Yes, why _were_ you able to leave?" a soft voice interrupted and they both turned to look at Yuya,who was staring at the two of them with concerned, if somewhat sleepy, green eyes.

Akari flushed under her regard and said miserably, "Because he knows I can never escape him. This eye is attached to me permanently and, even though he's never done so, a part of me is convinced that he will try to use it to control me."

"But you would never hurt your friends, Akari-San," Yuya said and the shaman gave her a sad smile.

"There it is, that idiotic and utterly charming naivety, Yuya-Chan," he replied and she frowned as he continued, "It never has been and never will be about what _I_ want. You lot are my friends - even that muscle-bound idiot and the blind brat - but you know _nothing_ about me. You don't know what I've done and what made me the way I am. Kyo probably knows a fair bit about Hishigi but none of you know him the way I do. You asked me once how I know so much about shamans, Yuya-Chan. Do you still want to know the answer to that question?"

She nodded mutely and he reached out to grasp her shoulder with a firm grip so that she couldn't move away as he said directly, "It's because I was right there with him experimenting on them. No one understands shamans the way Hishigi and I do. I know the most effective ways to train them, to motivate them, and to kill them. It's why I know what Aiko is capable of and it's why I'm being so honest now."

"Kyo," Akari turned his attention to the Thousand Killer, "I am telling all of you this about my past because I am not just worried for the two of you, I'm terrified. Aiko is a shaman in addition to a Mibu and that has to be of great interest to Hishigi. He was always trying to make the clan stronger and looking for ways to integrate shamanic abilities into its members and I worry about what he'll do with your little girl in his hands."

"What...could he do?" Yuya asked, her voice laden with fear and Kyo held his hand out to her, allowing her to take it and huddle closer to him.

"Any number of things. He might decide to accelerate her growth and use her for breeding purposes. She's human and therefore does not count as a person to him and her very existence is proof that it _is_ possible to produce a Mibu with special powers through natural means. It's something he could never produce in his lab except via having a shaman assimilated by one of his horrible creations. Alternatively, he might see how much pain she can take and use her as a weapon against you. Even as child, her empathic abilities would be problematic for anyone, warriors included."

The Thousand Killer could tell that there were other possible outcomes that Akari wasn't informing them about – he didn't miss the way the other man trembled when he said the word "assimilated" - and decided that he didn't want to know. The gist of the shaman's speech was that they needed to get Aiko out of Hishigi's possession as soon as possible.

He quietly grit his teeth, tightened his hand around Yuya's, and wished that he could confront the Mibu just _once_ without some sort of deadline hanging over his head. Family or not, they were a royal pain in his butt and he was ready to be rid of them.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before saying, "This is already getting annoying. And them taking the barrier off of the gate is beyond weird too."

"Yes," Akari said, "it is. It's almost like they were expecting us and that's not a good thing."

"Yeah, I know," Kyo replied and Yuya made a sound of annoyance as well.

Silence fell again and the shaman started to fidget, lowering his gaze to the ground and reaching up to rub the back of his gloved hand, finally giving in to his nervous habit. Kyo could see him working up the courage to say something else and he waited, wondering what other bad news he had to deliver. The other man opened and closed his mouth a few times and it was obvious that he was struggling to get out what he wanted to say.

It took a few minutes before he managed to say thickly, "I'm...guessing that I should...take my leave now."

He started to turn away, dejection heavy about his shoulders, only to be stopped by Yuya's voice as she asked him gently, "Why?"

The shaman paused and turned to look at her with suspiciously bright violet eyes as he said, "You already heard what I said. I can't be trusted and I used to help Hishigi experiment on shamans like Aiko."

Kyo's wife pulled her hand away from his and walked over to place it on Akari's left arm, running it down slowly and over the black glove covering his hand until she could clasp his long fingers as she said, "Didn't I already tell you that you were my friend and that I know how kind you are. If I were the type to dwell on one's past, how could I have married Kyo in the first place? He _did_ threaten to kill me once, you know."

"Is that so?" the shaman asked, surprise coloring his tone.

"He had his hands around my throat and everything," she said lightly and Kyo felt a tad uncomfortable at the reminder. He'd very nearly destroyed the best thing that had ever come into his life.

"Still," Yuya continued, "You told us the truth even though you didn't know how we'd react and, I don't know about you, but that sort of courage is incredible and appreciated. You are truly wonderful, Akari-San," she finished and then gave the shaman the final blow by following it up with _that_ smile – the one that made a man want to follow her to hell and back just to see it again.

Soft. Gentle. Trusting.

Kyo's eyes moved from his kind wife's face to Akari and he knew the moment the other man fell completely under her spell. Although those unusual eyes still sparkled with unshed tears, a flush spread across his gorgeous face and his grin morphed into one of his rare genuine smiles as he nodded and his gloved fingers curled until he was holding Yuya's hand with the very appendage he hated so much.

"Thank you, Yuya-Chan," he said with real feeling, "You really _are_ the better woman."

It was the closest Akari would probably ever come to a confession of love and Kyo sighed internally because his wife had slain yet another heart. That put the shaman next in line after himself, Sasuke, Kyoshiro (albeit that was more platonic), Akira, and Tora. Bon didn't count because he cared for Yuya more like a daughter and he was one step away from getting it on with Okuni already.

As if realizing just how much of himself he'd revealed, Akari recovered his confidence quickly, placed a hand on his hip, and said haughtily, "But don't let it go to your head. I'm still _way_ prettier."

Yuya chuckled and replied, "But of course," before shaking her head and heading off to wake the others.

It was time to get a move on and the shaman turned to Kyo with a soft smile as he said, "She's such a good woman, your Yuya-Chan. I wish I could be half that awesome. But, are you sure _you're_ okay with me staying with you?"

Kyo smirked and replied, "The woman has already spoken and it's pretty much impossible to change her mind once she's decided to make friends. Besides, I already asked you to come with me a long time ago and the offer still stands. It's not my style to get rid of a servant as strong as you are. If you wind up turning on me at some point, you won't be the first person to do so. Just ask Kyoshiro."

"Point taken," Akari said with a little laugh before continuing, "The two of you are truly the best. I'll do my best to give you both a happy ending."

The Thousand Killer nodded and no more was said as they rejoined the rest of their group and headed out, passing through the Hell gate and completely missing the person who emerged from the trees once they were gone and slipped in behind them.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Wake up old man," a familiarly cold but childish voice said and Muramasa slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the torchlight and turning his head to look at the speaker.

Tokito was staring at him from beyond the bars and he sat up stiffly, annoyed at how slowly he moved because the chill of the dungeon had seeped into his bones. The air was still moist and he cast his eyes towards the pile of books that had been provided by the king to keep him occupied over the past week. He had been given a narrow cot to sleep on and his meals were taken care of but his days were spent in monotony – reading the words of long dead philosophers and contemplating what the king had in store for himself and his family.

The only upside was that he felt better than he had in years. He wasn't sure if it was whatever had been injected into him when he was taken from his home or if there was something in the food but his illness hadn't put in an appearance for a while and he wondered if perhaps real progress had indeed been made on a cure for the Death Disease.

"You could at least pay attention when I'm talking to you, old man," Tokito said and the ancient warrior turned to look at his niece, realizing that she had been talking to him.

"Forgive me, Tokito. My mind was elsewhere," he said politely and the girl made a displeased face, as if she found his courtesy offensive.

This was the first time he had seen her since having to fight her back at his home and he studied her for a moment, searching for any remnants of the cheerful girl she had once been. Where was the child he had dandled on his knee, the way a doting uncle should. And upon whom he had lavished as much affection as he could to make up for the fact that her mother was dying a slow and painful death from a sickness that shouldn't have existed? Tokito clearly hated him and he knew _who_ the culprit was but, as yet, neither his brother-in-law nor Hishigi had put in an appearance and he wondered why.

His niece sighed heavily and said slowly as if she were talking to an idiot, "I _said_ that we will be having visitors soon."

She looked so pleased with herself that Muramasa immediately knew that she wasn't informing him of the facts for the sake of his health and therefore said nothing in response, merely kept his face composed as he stared at her.

A flash of annoyance went across her features and she continued, "It seems that your precious Demon Child is here along with his dirty little human wife and their equally useless friends. We left the barrier off of the entrance since we want things to go smoothly. Truly, you raised a prize idiot, Muramasa. It's such an obvious trap and yet they're walking in as calm as you please."

She ended it with a wicked little laugh and those blue-green eyes watched him closely to see how he would react. However, if she expected him to display any sort of distress, she was to be sorely disappointed. Thousands of years of practice had given him access to a passive expression that would have done even Hishigi proud and he was perfectly content to don what Yuya had dubbed as his Elder face. Calm and serene but full of knowledge, as his daughter-in-law put it, like he knew something that the other person didn't.

Tokito kept laughing until she realized that she wasn't getting the reaction that she was looking for and the sound quickly died away. He could tell that it was on the tip of her tongue to ask him why he didn't appear to be worried about the information that she had just imparted but she was smarter than that. Instead, she started to walk. From one end of the cell to the other and back again, she examined him with eyes that were so like Hitoki's and he gave her nothing, knowing that she was looking for his weaknesses, searching for a way to ruffle his feathers.

His niece, he decided, was a bully and an immature one, at that. She thrived on misery and he could practically see where that twisted bend to her mind had been nurtured and molded by a masterful hand until she was a belligerent ball of anger and self-loathing. Tokito was restless and upset, chomping at the bit to rob him of his cool and he could only pity her. And it was that pity that drove him to give her a reply even though it wasn't the words she wanted.

Instead of talking about Kyo, he asked her bluntly, "Why are you disguised as a boy, Toki-Chan?"

It was his old pet name for her that she had inherited from her mother, who had long since outgrown it. Hitoki had loved it and called her daughter by it as well and little Tokito would giggle and run around her mother, smiling and telling her how much she wanted to be just like her when she grew up. At the time, his niece's primary goal had been to grow up into a pretty and gentle noblewoman like Hitoki. In turn, his sister had loved her daughter with everything she had, even when she got so sick that she couldn't hold her anymore and even when she took to her bed, never to leave again until she closed her eyes and wouldn't wake up.

A part of him wanted Tokito to understand how precious she had once been to him but he knew that her memories weren't the same, that she didn't know who she was. And so his pet name was now a weapon, a not-so-gentle reminder of their familial connection.

Predictably, the title angered the girl and her feet halted as her lips pressed themselves together so hard that they turned white at the edges. He could see her working to control her already short temper.

He allowed her to have her little inner tantrum for a minute or two before he followed his original question up with a mild, "Did Fubuki ask you to do it?"

"Didn't I already tell you not to utter Fubuki-Sama's name so casually," she said heatedly.

"I heard it and discarded it," he replied calmly, "The two of us have a long history together and I know him far better than you do. I know who he is and what he is and I am too old to be talked down to by a child who isn't even comfortable in her own skin. Still, the question remains, do you _really_ know Fubuki?"

"Of course I do. He's the man who has been working tirelessly with Hishigi to save the Mibu. That's more than I can say for you, who left us behind and spent your years with that horrible Demon Child, raising him to destroy everything we've worked for."

Muramasa smiled at the end of her speech, as if she had said something amusing, and he could see that it threw her off.

"Tell me, Toki-Chan, did Fubuki tell you that that's what happened? That I left with the intent to send Kyo back and ruin everyone's lives? You don't have to answer that. Rather, what I find fascinating is what he hasn't told you."

He let his words hang and he could see that mind moving behind her cold gaze. Tokito always was a clever child, so full of curiosity that Fubuki had smothered beneath hatred to insure that she wouldn't look beyond the surface when confronted with anything she viewed as a threat to her place in the clan.

She shook her head stubbornly after a while and said, "You're trying to get into my head, old man. It won't work. Our plans are already in motion and Kyo and his friends will cease to be a concern before too long. I look forward to seeing your face when you realize that you wasted your final years on those pitiful humans and a man who is destined to die."

It was a sad attempt to try and gain control of the conversation again and Muramasa replied evenly, "I am not overly concerned about Kyo. You were foolish enough to touch his family and he is more of a Mibu than any of us, save the king. There is so much untapped power in him that only a fool would believe that he couldn't possibly be a threat."

"Still," he continued, "we weren't talking about Kyo, we were talking about you, Toki-Chan."

"Stop calling me that," she said, curling her hands into fists.

"It's the name I used to call you...as well as your mother. Do you remember her, Toki-Chan?"

She shook her head slowly.

"A pity, that. She was beautiful and she loved to grow things. It was a gift she had and you wanted to be just like her."

Tokito looked torn between interest in her unknown mother and horror at things she didn't remember. He decided to push her a little further since he couldn't come out and say who her real parents were because she would immediately reject such info as a falsehood. No, he needed her to question what she had been told, to pick out the inconsistencies for herself.

"You look just like her," he said and those blonde brows came down in a frown.

"I've been told that I look like you," she said with an unusual lack of heat.

"Oh, you favor me a bit but, no, it's Hitoki that you look like the most. People used to mistake us for twins, you know."

He could see her working it over, trying to figure out how her parents could look close enough to each other to pass as siblings while being able to get married in the first place.

"Was she...," the girl paused for a moment and he could see the beginnings of a hunger for knowledge in those eyes, "was she your distant cousin or something?"

The former Elder shook his head and said, "No, we were much closer than that but I don't think you are ready to hear how just yet."

Annoyance flashed across her features and she stepped closer to the bars as she said, "I think you are trying to confuse me, old man. Why can't you tell me the truth directly?"

Muramasa looked her directly in her eyes and replied, "Because I don't think you could handle the truth if it came from me and because you have lost enough."

She let out a snort and turned her back on him as she said, "Don't pretend to care now, Muramasa. That ship sailed years ago. If you had anything important to tell me, you wouldn't have left."

"There it is, that fear of the unknown. You want the truth but you hide from it," he sighed heavily and said, "but it is who you were raised to be. However, if you ever do get the courage to seek out the truth, you should speak to Fubuki and Hishigi."

"I've already spoke to both of them plenty of time over the years about my origins and I trust them far more than an absentee father like you," she said stubbornly.

"Of course, you don't know me and I only remember a child version of you. In truth, I think I like that little girl better than the person you are now. But, that is irrelevant to this discussion. The fact of the matter is that you can now ask them the appropriate questions now that you have had a chance to speak to me."

"And what questions are those," she asked, trying to interject as much scorn as possible into her voice even though he could tell she eaten up with curiosity.

"The next time you speak with Fubuki, ask him two questions. Ask him who Hitoki is and what her relationship is to the Mibu Reconstruction Project."

Tokito turned around to face him once more and opened her mouth, probably to say something smart, but she closed it soon after and only glared at him for few seconds before spinning on her heel and marching off.

She was upset but the questions had been planted in her head and he hoped that they would bear fruit. It was past time for her father, Hishigi, and the king to be called to account for their actions and, even if he had to manipulate his niece to do it, he would pull their wicked plans apart from under them.

 _'Please make it here in one piece, Kyo,'_ he silently prayed, _'We're too close to the end to fail now.'_

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shinrei was pleased. Actually, he was more than that - he was excited.

So far, he had been left in peace to watch over and train the children and, while he was certain that it wasn't permanent, he was feeling better than he had in years. After his chat with Aiko a little over a day prior, he had begun to include her in his practice sessions with Ryu and was amazed to find that she was already quite good at the basics. According to her, she had gleaned them from the dreams she shared with her twin and it only took an hour and a few positional corrections for him to bring her up to speed.

Once he was sure that she was mostly on the same page as Ryu, he worked with the two of them on the easier katas of the school and watched as the children of them did their best to follow his instructions. Ryu wasn't quite as good at maintaining his balance as his sibling but she continued to encourage him verbally and, he suspected, mentally as well and it was obvious that they were having a good time.

He was also relieved because the girl seemed to have caught onto the fact that he found her sincere desire to learn his fighting style of far more interest and more enjoyable than her constant stream of flattery about all things Shinrei. Even when he said nothing, she always knew when he was happy with them for performing a particularly difficult move and she would look over her shoulder and flash a bright smile as him before conveying her knowledge of his approval to her twin.

Without the need to puzzle out her motives, the water-user found himself relaxing more in Aiko's presence and enjoying the twins for what they were, a pair of sweet children who were waiting as patiently as they could for their parents to come and get them. Instead of dwelling too deeply on their situation, he contented himself with the knowledge that he now had, not one but, two children who trusted and relied on him to keep them safe. It was made all the more wonderful by the fact that there were no longer any lies between himself and Ryu. The boy had forgiven him and even sung his praises to his sister, as she had revealed once when they took a break.

Truly, things were going better than they had in a long time. So naturally, as with most things in his life, it couldn't last and disaster struck suddenly the second day of their group training.

It was when the twins were working together to master a particularly difficult position. He was explaining to them the importance of proper posture and his goal for them to be able to string the moves he was teaching them together before long when Aiko's arms suddenly dropped to her sides. Her little head snapped to the side so suddenly that he wondered if she had been struck until he realized that she was staring at something in particular.

Following her red-eyed gaze, his blood froze in his veins when he saw the man standing in the doorway leading out of the room and he instinctively moved to stand in front of the children. Ryu made a small sound of distress and he was right there with the boy in the reaction their visitor elicited.

Hishigi was there in all of his black glory, looming large like a blot on the tattered remnants of their peaceful interlude, and he knew before the Elder opened his mouth what he was there for. He also knew that his superior was well aware of the fact that he would not give him what he wanted without a fight, as evidenced by the sword strapped to his waist and the fact that he had come himself instead of sending an assistant.

Although he had never seen the Doctor out and about with a weapon before, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that the other man was fully capable of using it. At the end of the day, his skills had to be good enough to qualify him as one of the king's personal guards. That put him on a completely separate plane from people like Shinrei.

Still, like they had rehearsed a script, they went through the motions of a conversation.

"No doubt you are aware of the reason why I am here, Shinrei-San," the older man said with a tone that was polite, if cool.

Enter the young man who knew that he was about to draw a clear line in the sand as he replied, "I assume that you are here to pick up Aiko."

While Hishigi inclined his head in a slight nod, the girl in question let out a tiny squeak of fear and then little arms were being wrapped around his leg and he could feel her face being pressed against the fabric of his pants. She might not have known who Hishigi was but she recognized danger when she saw it.

Yet another person entered the scene and Shinrei fought between pride and fear when Ryu stepped up beside him and said, with barely a wobble in his voice, "I won't let you hurt, Ai-Chan."

If the boy's life wasn't in real danger, he might have cracked a smile but as it was, he reached out to give his surrogate son a pat on the head and said softly, "Take your sister and stand back."

He would have preferred to tell the two of them to run away but their exit was blocked and so all he could do was urge them out of the way as he drew his swords slowly - raising the curtain on what was about to play out.

"I'm afraid that I can't hand her over, Hishigi-Sama," he said and the dark man's expression didn't alter one whit.

No, he already knew what to expect.

"Aiko doesn't want to leave Shinrei-Sama with the scary man," Aiko said in the background when Ryu tugged at her, trying to get her to let go of their teacher's leg and the silver-haired man felt a frission of fear that wasn't his own. It was a testament to how upset she was that she didn't bother to correct her misuse of her own name instead of saying "I".

"Aiko," he spoke her name as gently as possible.

"Yes, Shinrei-Sama?" she replied uncertainly and her terror was getting stronger, beating at his mind although it wasn't yet as intense as it had been when he first met her.

"Please let go of me and stay with Ryu."

"But...," she began.

" _Please_ do as I say and, if you get a chance to run away, I want you to take it."

"Shinrei-Sama...," her voice was pitiful and the intensity of the panic radiating off of her made him feel sick. He couldn't reassure her about the outcome of fight because he knew he was probably going to die and it was unnatural for Aiko, who was a very happy child by nature, to be so scared.

There was only a moment to hate Hishigi for instilling that dread into such a pure soul. One moment to sigh in relief as Aiko finally let go of his leg. And one moment to feel the movement of air across the side of his neck and act.

Shinrei was a warrior born and bred. The son of nobility and the apprentice to the strongest person in the Mibu clan next to the king himself. For years he had trained himself, honing his body into a perfect killing machine that delivered death with grace and power. He could read an opponent's moves as easily as he read a book and he could dance along with them, drawing them in and altering their rhythm until they died a beautiful and swift death. To date, only Demon Eyes Kyo had been able to overcome him and he had gone over that battle in his head again and again, evaluating what he could have done and what he would do if he ever had to fight Ryu's father again.

By nature, he was an obsessive man and more than a little competitive, with a mind that rarely stopped. Organized, logical, and analytical - he preferred order over chaos. Planning over impetuosity. Control over emotion. A firm believer that there was a place for everything and everything in its place, he understood that it was both his greatest strength and his greatest flaw.

Yet, in that second when his senses registered the incoming attack aimed at his neck, it wasn't his brain that saved him from losing his head. It wasn't the genius-level strategic abilities on which he prided himself. It wasn't his precious and carefully nurtured control.

It was only instinct and muscle memory - reflexes that had been pummeled into his flesh and bones through decades' worth of discipline - that saved his life from an attack that even his mind couldn't process in time. Even though his head couldn't keep up, his body "saw" Hishigi's blade coming and it danced out of the way, using the moves that he had imprinted on it whenever he fought. The skills gained in those moments when he went off by himself to practice because the weight of his own unceasing thoughts had become too much for him to bear.

As Shinrei flipped over and over and landed on his feet with an agility he had never thought was in him, he heard a crack as the wall behind him began to separate. And he realized that his precious dojo - the place where he had been trying his hardest to gift his two charges with some sort of fighting ability before their parents came to take them away and the first place where he had started to see a glimmer of happiness - had been cut in half and that the top was sliding off.

A cry of alarm sounded and Aiko's fear spiked as she and Ryu called his name in unison. A shadow fell over him and his muscles instinctively tightened in preparation for another attack as Hishgi materialized with his dark sword raised to strike him down.

Where the power came from, he couldn't say, but he yelled as loudly as he could, "Run!"

And then his ki was pouring out of him in a torrent. Like the water he used to fight, it rushed through his body and into his swords as he pushed himself.

 _More._

He knew it would take everything he had to even scratch one of the Taishirou and so he exerted his body even harder. Tapped into his energy. Deep. Deeper.

 _More_.

For the first time in his life he didn't think, couldn't afford to really. He simply acted and felt the energy vibrating in his swords as they began to change shape.

There was a moment, in between his next two heartbeats and his next two breaths, where he could hear nothing but the water spirits that fueled him singing to him. They tempted him with the lure of even more power if he would just push a little further, try a little harder.

And then a cool voice interjected itself into the maelstrom swirling inside of him.

"I told Fubuki that you would be problematic," Hishigi said with a chiding tone, a hidden sigh buried in his softly uttered words like he was chastising a child. And then he disappeared and Shinrei felt pain tear through his body while the spirits – his Undine - sang mournfully, lamenting his inability to touch the power that sat just out of reach. So close he could smell it, taste it, _feel_ it – taunting all of is senses at once and then some.

Darkness arose, closing in on him and he staggered, catching himself and pressing his hand to his chest as if that could stop the blood pouring out of the wound he'd been given.

"Shinrei-Sama!" Aiko's voice rang out and he forced himself to focus on the two children as they ran away, having slipped out of the dojo courtesy of the damage that had been done to it. Sunlight beat down on him and he realized that it was open sky above his head now instead of the timbers and beams that had once made up the roof.

Kyo's daughter was looking over her shoulder at him, tears running down her innocent face, and he grimaced because she looked so stricken at the sight of him and her mind was swamping his with all of her fear and worry. She was such a kind child, just like her mother, he thought – it was a note he had made often during their brief aquaintanceship. However, her concern was slowing her brother down and Hishigi was closing in on the twins with fast strides like death itself while he couldn't move to intercept.

His promise to protect the both of them was in danger of being broken. It would be yet another blemish on his honor. Another sin to heap upon his head after years of ignoring conscience and truth to serve the clan. To please Fubuki and the rest.

It was too much.

Uttering a curse that would have made his idiot brother proud, he pushed his remaining ki out, lancing it through the copious amounts of blood he'd spilled on the ground. An ironic sort of gratitude filled him in knowing that his superior's attack had left him with the means to launch a counter assault. Delirium from blood loss gave him a sense of satisfaction as the life-giving fluid began to boil and eat through the floor beneath.

He licked his dry lips and narrowed his gaze on the dark figure of the Taishiro, mentally calculating the distance between all of the parties involved and whispering, "Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu Hiryu."

The blood surged upwards, a writhing twisting plume of crimson that was alive in a way his standard dragons could never be because this...this was literally a part of him. The column split and reformed itself into seven dragons and he sent them chasing after Hishigi where they overtook him, curving over and around his body to cut off his advance and keep him separated from the children. The serpents snarled, hissed, and drooled acid that dripped and burned into the pavement. Shinrei's body started shaking because he was losing so much blood and but he refused to divert even a speck of ki away from his attack to stop up his wounds.

He mentally begged the children to keep running as far and fast as they could from the evil that stalked them. In the way that only a man who knew what he wanted his death to accomplish could be, he felt relief lance through him when the Taishirou paused and turned to face him once more. His senses were growing dull and so he didn't even see the man move towards him.

One moment the Doctor was far away and then he was standing over him and Shinrei wondered just how weak he was to come so close to death twice in such a short period of time. Kyo had spared his life the last time but he knew there would be no reprieve with one of the Elders now that he had raised his blade against them.

Hishigi didn't even have to use his sword, he simply gripped the back of Shinrei's silver head with one gloved hand and lifted it slightly

A sigh ruffled the hairs on the younger man's nape as he murmured, with just a hint of real regret, "Such a waste."

And then the Elder slammed his skull into what was left of the dojo floor, sending him into darkness.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Woah, that was kind of intense to write. I'll be honest, Hishigi and Fubuki are strong fighters but, at the end of the day, they are straight-up thugs. Maybe that's what always struck me about the Taishirou, they acted all refined but they were pretty brutal to anyone who opposed them. I guess it's a case of a people following the example set by their ruler. Anywho, Shinrei isn't dead yet but he's only alive by the skin of his teeth. A small sacrifice is going to have to be made in order to pull his butt out of the fire.

In the meanwhile, Kyo and the crew are going to advance further into the Mibu lands and the person following is probably going to put in an appearance. And I'm convinced that this version of Muramasa embodies the expression: "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill." =P Having him play mind games with Tokito is just fun since she is such a snot. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I thank you for reading it.


	28. Small Sacrifices and Odd Saviors

**Thanks to: Azure** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter, I like writing Akari because his character is so complex and I always felt bad for him for having so much weight on him from his past. Yuya can't help but make people fall for her, she's just that wonderful. There is a sacrifice to be made and there are a few sad parts but I'll try not to make things too crazy), **general zargon** (Shinrei is just unfortunate, he was in the manga as well, and I hate making his life miserable but it'll work out eventually. I'm happy you enjoyed the conversation with Akari and I appreciate you catching the error, I'll have to go back and take a look at it.), **lmamc** (Don't worry, Shinrei will be alright), **Guest** (Thanks, glad you enjoyed the conversation with Akari, he's already been through enough and I really wanted to grab the chance to get the truth out there. Shinrei is maturing as a person and I can truly say that it's a lot of fun to write about him since he's always overshadowed by Hotaru. You'll see what I mean about sacrifice down below.), **DebyMU** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and Akari and Yuya's connection with each other, the two of them make such good friends. Shinrei will be alright courtesy of a selfless act and at least one of the twins will see their parents soon), **Rinfantasy** (I want Akari to find peace as well and you'll see what becomes of the twins below), **kyoandyuya** (Glad you liked the route I went with Muramasa and Tokito and I'll try not to make this chapter too painful, not everyone is going to be able to get away from Hishigi D=), **J Luc Pitard** (Thanks for letting me know your thoughts. Akari and Shinrei both found their balls and Muramasa has a pair of steel ones. ;-) Tokito's immaturity and arrogance make her an easy target to manipulate and Muramasa has the experience to work her over. Who better than him to play mind games? My plan is for her to start seeing that not all is well and good with Fubuki, although she is still going to get her well-needed beat down by Akira at some point because she is so stubborn. Unfortunately, Shihoudou doesn't save Shinrei, although she is going to show up again eventually because she's too awesome a character to ignore. He's going to get help from someone who has the skillset he needs at the moment. Someone who _does_ care about him in her own way. Also, Hotaru would care if Shinrei dies at this point if only because he wasn't the one to do him in. ;-P), **magicalnana** (Well, at least one of the children will get away. Also, I couldn't kill Shinrei off, I love him too much.)

 **Author's Note:** Drama ahead and no Kyo in this chapter, unfortunately, but there is a bright patch towards the end.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Six**

 **Small Sacrifices and Odd Saviors**

Aiko was getting stronger.

It wasn't a conscious realization because she was so young and had not yet learned that there were such things as limits. All she knew was that it was becoming easier for her to understand what the individuals around her were feeling and that, for certain people, she didn't even have to look at them directly to know. Of course, the masks still showed up and provided visual cues for her but the more time she spent with Ryu and Shinrei, the less she needed to puzzle out what those floating facades meant.

As she trained with her twin and his master, her gift moved from novelty to second nature and she found herself monitoring the two people she was closest to without really thinking about it. It was sometime during that first day that Shinrei started training her for real that she realized that there was a separate set of emotions poking about in the back of her head.

Ryu was always linked to her and thus her sensitivity to his feelings came as no surprise but the man who had raised him was something else entirely. Surprise gave way to fascination the moment she realized that her silver-haired guardian was now lodged in her mind. Unlike her brother, there were a lot more layers to the man's emotions and she had wondered if it was because he was so very _old_.

The sadness was always there but there were a lot of other things too, things that she hadn't been able to see when she looked at him. Deeply buried emotions piled on top of each other. Like a series of books that had been opened to her, she read him with an eagerness and skill that would have done her grandfather proud and gave no thought to what such an intense probe would mean to either him or her.

Instead, with childish delight and impropriety, she invaded his privacy, flipping shamelessly through the pages of his emotions and examining each closely. She was delighted at how easily she could read him now, an unwitting guinea pig for her burgeoning powers and a perfect candidate because of his complexity.

And what she learned only solidified him as an idol in her eyes.

So clearly, she saw his genuine joy at teaching both her and Ryu his techniques. He was almost happy on the rare occasions when he wasn't worrying about one thing or another and could focus on the two of them instead.

She also learned that he cared a great deal for the people he considered family and it was obvious enough to her that her twin was special to the older man. Gratification blossomed in her when she realized that he regarded her kindly as well the more she showed him that she was a good student and that she appreciated his patient tutelage. It was far more effective way to improve his mood instead of her earlier tact of commending him all the time.

She was quickly becoming accustomed to the different nuances of emotion the longer she poked around in the heads of her two companions. As Aiko's emotions became more closely entwined with theirs, the time they spent together took on a magical quality. Ryu was her darling brother whose presence in her head meant that she was never alone and Shinrei was her strong protector who always watched over her like a guard in a fairytale and gifted her with the ability to dance beautifully. That he was also in her head at all times of late was a bonus.

Although she missed her mother and grandfather terribly, the heartache wasn't so bad as long as she had her "Ryu-Chan"and her "Shinrei-Sama." Truthfully, she really hoped that they would both come to live with her on her grandfather's mountain when her parents finally showed up. Like favored toys that comforted her fears in the night, she wanted them by her side always.

Unfortunately, the girl was so caught up in the wonder of learning new things and forming such close bonds that it never once occurred to her that her gift, while incredible, was also a double-edged sword. Enlightenment arrived when the man in black showed up.

By that time, as with any talent, her empathic abilities had become such an integral part of her day-to-day life that she started to rely on them to tell her what to do and say, how to react to the glimpses she caught into the feelings of others. Having grown used to seeing what was normally hidden, she was unprepared for the sense of helpless that struck when confronted with someone she couldn't read.

Because she was constantly, if unconsciously, reaching out to touch the minds of those nearest to her, she felt _his_ presence first - a dark spot at the edge of her mind that didn't belong and drew her eyes to the side. She knew who the person standing there was from her dreams and her conversation with Shinrei. He was Hishigi, the frightening man who hurt Ryu and, as far as she was concerned, was a nightmare made into flesh.

His singular eye was dark and empty, focused on her with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. His mind was present but she couldn't "see" anything around him. There were no masks or emotions teasing her – not even the demon's guise, which warned her when someone had wicked intent. There was only an empty void that was made conspicuous by its very lack of content and _that_ , more than anything else, terrified her.

Made her vulnerable.

The helpless feeling that arose in her was the first indication that there were drawbacks to having a special talent. The second one came when Shinrei tried to protect them, buying them time to hide and escape while he confronted the scary man.

His worries about her and Ryu became her own, bringing forth fear and confusion because she wasn't quite sure where his mind ended and hers began. In turn, her negative emotions were only magnified by the underlying layer of uncertainty emanating from her mentor. She had only a brief moment to wonder why - he was such a powerful guardian - before she felt it.

Her body had long since locked up, frozen in time courtesy of the storm of emotions pulling her brain back and forth in a loop between her fear and Shinrei's desperation while Ryu's own panic assaulted her from the fringes.

Her twin, sensing her hesitation, was pulling her through the opening that had been cut through the wall of the dojo when pain seared through her, overloading her senses to the point that she stopped breathing entirely for a moment. Her feet tripped over themselves and she would have fallen if her brother hadn't caught her and tugged her away. With heavy breaths, she reached up with her free hand and touched her chest as she stumbled along, expecting to see blood, but there was nothing when she pulled it away even though her body was screaming at her, telling her that she was hurt badly.

As her sibling half-dragged her away, she turned to look back at Shinrei, concern for him beating in her small breast in time with her heart. The sight that met her was horrific. Yes, he was still standing but he was partly bent over with blood staining his tunic and more gathering at his feet while he followed them with his golden eyes. Her natural desire to help urged her to run back and she pulled at Ryu but he wouldn't stop. His grip was hard – unyielding even - and she felt resentment rise up. That he had better control over his emotions and could focus so single-mindedly on doing as Shinrei has instructed while she felt as if she were being torn in two mentally and physically seemed incredibly unbalanced.

It was only when she managed to drag her gaze away from the macabre sight of their dear caretaker bleeding to death that she gave up resisting.

Hishigi was following them.

Things happened quickly after that. Aiko was deluged with an overwhelming sense of desperation and then there was a horde of red dragons chasing them and curling around the dark man. Her vision of Shinrei was obscured then but her gift didn't lie, she could feel his emotions keenly and she wanted to cry because his pain was so intense but his desire to protect them was still gleaming brightly – glowing as warmly as the sun in her mind's eye.

As she stared at the growling, crimson serpents, she realized that they were preventing Hishigi from coming closer and that this was one last gift from her teacher because his mind was already slowly ebbing away as the seconds ticked by. She couldn't see what was happening beyond that sinuously writhing wall of red but she knew it the moment their link was broken.

One moment she felt resignation and the energy was draining from her body the way it was from his and, in the next, there was another sharp burst of pain in her head followed by nothing. His mind was gone and she reached out for him in vain, searching for that quiet power he radiated without effort while pushing through the hurt.

A void yawned where he had been abruptly torn away from her mind and desperation clawed at her as she looked for a way to latch on to him because she _needed_ to feel him. She needed his strength and his consistent desire to keep the two of them safe. It was the main support that bolstered her and helped her to forget that she was in a strange land, with strange people who weren't her family. Strangers like the mean boy who'd brought her here after hurting her grandfather and who disliked her for no reason.

Her heart clenched at the sense of danger.

Even his constant sorrow would have been welcomed as something familiar but she couldn't "see" him anymore and the dragons fell quiet, slowing to a stop and then collapsing in on themselves with a hiss as they corroded the stones beneath them. Steam rose from the fallen wyrms and she saw the hazy outline of Hishigi and a patch of blue and red lying at his feet that could only be Shinrei.

It was heartbreaking and scary and she had no strength to resist as Ryu pulled her again, whispering tersely, "Keep moving, Ai-Chan."

She wanted to go back to wake up her stern, silver-haired knight and shield him from the evil man looming over him but her brother's emotions were pouring into the abrupt hole left by their mentor's mental departure and filling her with the urgency she needed to do as he told her. Her feet moved only because her twin willed it and they fled, pushing themselves hard while Hishigi's presence flickered along the edges of her consciousness. He wasn't hurrying to catch up to them and she had a sinking feeling that he already knew that there was no escape and that he was simply waiting for them to run out of energy. Already, her lungs were starting to burn.

Screwing her eyes shut, she followed her sibling and tried to turn her mind away from what had just happened but all she could think of was the fact the Shinrei was gone and that it was too close to what had happened with that poor soldier when she first came to the Mibu. In her mind, she couldn't help but replace that masked body with that her self-appointed custodian and she wished that there was something she could do to save him. He couldn't be gone for good - she refused to believe it – and Aiko fervently wished that she had another ability, such as the gift of healing that Akari had.

It could be said that desperate times called for desperate measures and that inspiration could strike at the oddest moments. Her youth and the loving environment in which she had been raised gave her an optimistic nature. Having grown up with Muramasa for a grandfather and listening to her mother's tales of the things the Mibu could do, it occurred to her while they fled that the fantastical abilities of her relatives might have extended to other areas.

The further away they got, the more her mind started to work again and an idea began to take shape.

Could someone else rescue Shinrei where she couldn't? The longer she ran, the more the notion took root and the more her pace slowed because she was connecting the dots and realizing that she had only a short period of time to do anything about it.

Eventually, she dug her heels in completely and said quietly, "Stop, Ryu-Chan."

He looked back at her with worried eyes and said, "We can't stop now, Ai-Chan. We have to get away."

Her brother was so earnest and sincere in his desire to save her that she actually managed to smile at him even though their circumstances were dire. He was such a nice person and she loved him as much as if she had actually known him her whole life. And she knew that he loved her too, so much that he would try to protect her when Hishigi caught up to them.

However, no matter how she turned it over in her head, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling that something very bad would happen if she didn't separate from Ryu and the thought of losing him too made her feel sick.

Her twin tugged at her hand with increasingly frantic movements but she refused to budge, leaning back and resisting him with her not inconsiderable strength until he let out a frustrated sigh and demanded, "Why won't you move?"

She took a deep breath and picked her words slowly and meticulously to ensure she did a good job of imparting her idea to him. 

"You need to help Shinrei-Sama," she said with all the seriousness she could muster, doing her best to broadcast her determination through their bond.

"I don't think I can do anything for him," Ryu replied and she could feel how fragile his emotions were because he had picked up on her grief and was intelligent enough to put two and two together.

Her brother loved Shinrei too. There was no way he couldn't feel anything at losing the person who had raised him, he was just better than her at putting his pain aside. However, all she had to do was think about how she would feel if her mother went away forever and she understood how just how deeply his hurt went.

As always, since she had come to stay with him, he was doing things for her sake. Being strong because he knew she needed it. It was one of the better habits he had picked up from their temporary guardian and she thought that it was the least she could do to try and save both of them.

"You need to get help," she said carefully.

"You mean _we_ need to get help," he corrected her with a mutinous scowl and she knew that he was starting see where she was going.

Her brother was so smart that he made it easy for her to explain things with only a few words and she usually went along with him but, this time, _she_ was the one who knew what was best. Their deadly pursuer was closing in on them and only she could give him what he sought and afford her twin the time and distance he needed to help Shinrei.

Shaking her head in response to his declaration, she said firmly, "He's going to hurt you, Ryu-Chan."

"And he'll hurt you too, Aiko," he said replied, using her full name to convey how grim he found that prospect.

"But he wants me, Ryu-Chan," she said gently, "He hurt Shinrei-Sama to get to me. I don't think he will be nice to you and I don't want you to go away too."

Her point was valid and they both knew it. Though they never spoke of it, she knew that the bad man wouldn't be kind to Ryu just because he was little. He wasn't like other adults who treated children differently out of regard for their age and size. In her dreams, she saw the last time her brother had been in Hishigi's hands and, while the actual details were blurry, she understood that it hurt a great deal and that her brother still carried scars in his heart from that miserable experience.

Ryu was stubborn though and he squeezed her hand so tightly that it bordered on painful as he said, "I won't let you sacrifice yourself Aiko."

Sacrifice. It was an intriguing word that she hadn't fully understood the meaning of until she encountered the Mibu. Her mother had told her many times that her father had sacrificed himself to save both his wife and their unborn child and, according to Yuya, it was something that occurred when you gave up something you really cared about to help someone else. Once, her mama even tried to demonstrate the concept to her by handing over the last of her favorite sweets to her daughter even though she wanted them for herself but it didn't quite click with the child. She didn't know that a sacrifice often required a hardship because she had always been safely sheltered in her grandfather's home.

Not until she saw her Muramasa bleeding on the ground after sending her into the house for safekeeping did she start to have an inkling of what a sacrifice was. It was more than giving away the last piece of candy or anything else so basic, it meant that you tried to protect the people you cared about no matter how painful it was. Even more light was shed on the concept when Shinrei challenged the dark man. He _knew_ that he was going to get hurt and he hadn't been able to keep his apprehension a secret from her, but he still stepped up to defend them anyways and her regard for him was further elevated.

So in her mind, the definition of a sacrifice was to do something you didn't want to do for the good of the people you loved and she loved both her brother and Shinrei a great deal. The latter had already disappeared for now and she couldn't stomach the thought of Ryu following him because then she would truly be alone in a place that wasn't home. Beyond the comforting presence of her brother and their link to each other, loneliness and fear yawned widely, waiting to gobble her up, and she decided that she couldn't have that. If other people could sacrifice themselves for her, why shouldn't she do the same?

Therefore, with her heart set on what had to be done, she told Ryu firmly, "Let me go."

He shook his head and replied just as adamantly, "I won't."

"Shinrei-Sama, needs help," she returned.

"But...," he began.

"Please help him, Ryu-Chan. If I go, you can run away. We'll still be together," she ended by way of comfort, reminding him that she wouldn't be completely disconnected from him.

Still her twin hesitated and they were losing so much time. Hishigi was so close that she finally took matters into her own hands.

Gathering as much calm as she could muster, which wasn't much, she projected it to him and forcibly pushed aside his own emotions, overwriting them with hers. It was her first successful attempt at directly controlling someone else's feelings but it brought her no joy because she then took advantage of his body's automatic relaxation to raise their joined hands. Silently apologizing ahead of time for hurting him, she proceeded to sink her sharp teeth so hard into the back of his that she tasted copper.

His reaction was instantaneous. Ryu jumped, cried out, and let go of her out of reflex.

He immediately tried to grab for her again but she nimbly sidestepped him and took off at full speed, going back the way they had come and squeezing her eyes shut because she didn't quite have the courage to see what she was getting herself into. Behind her, her twin frantically called her name but his entreaties grew more and more distant and she was relieved because it meant he wasn't running after her.

Instead, his mind was there with hers and she could feel his fear, his love, his worry, his sadness, and...his grudging acceptance. Her brother knew better than anyone what Hishigi was capable of and that _someone_ needed to help their guardian before it was too late and she smiled a bit as his feelings washed over her. Hadn't she said before that her brother was smart?

Aiko didn't know how long or far she ran but she knew that she had reached her destination when she ran into something hard and warm and bounced off, landing on her bottom with a painful thump. She didn't need to look up or hear him speak to know who it was that she had crashed into. His presence was enough, black and oppressive like a heavy hand was pushing down on her and she took in a sharp breath, absorbing his scent into her nostrils as she did.

It wasn't exactly a bad smell, more like there were so many unidentifiable things mixed together that she couldn't pick out one thing to define him. Like his emotions, there was nothing that came to the forefront. Everything about him was neutral and hard to pin down and it made her immensely uncomfortable.

"Tell me, do you always use your olfactory senses upon meeting someone new?" his cool voice asked and a gloved hand appeared in front of her face, apparently offering to help her up.

She gingerly clasped his fingers with hers and was lifted to her feet with such surprising gentleness that her head snapped upright and she stared at him in surprise.

"Ah, I see you were expecting me to go rough immediately, weren't you?" he replied to her unasked question and she nodded.

"There is no need for that at this time," he said, "such things will come soon enough."

The faint hope that he wasn't as bad as he appeared to be died a swift death and she lowered her gaze from his single eye. Half of his face was covered by a black mask and topped by a similarly-colored, long fringe of hair adorned with a shock of white. It provided a startling contrast and she stared at it for a long moment. Those pale strands were the only things on him that were bright and she quickly withdrew her hand once she realized that she was staring, afraid that his darkness would spread to her as well.

"What does olfactory mean?" she asked after a moment, seizing upon his first question to gain a little more time for both herself and her brother.

"It means your sense of smell. I was merely asking if you always take in the scent of the people you meet. It is a behavior that I have observed in your brother and father as well."

Since she saw no harm in answering the question, she simply nodded a second time and had the unpleasant feeling that he was mentally picking her apart and measuring the sum of her parts.

"Interesting. And why did you come back here? You were radiating a great deal of fear earlier and I imagine that you are still afraid. What could possibly have prompted you to return?"

She tensed up and licked her lips before replying quietly, "You were going to hurt Ryu-Chan and you only want me."

"I'm surprised that a child your age would understand the concept of giving up one's life for another. Your intelligence is noteworthy. However, I would only harm your brother if he got in my way and you have saved me the trouble of neutralizing him," he said mildly.

Aiko shook her head and said, "But you hurt him before, I saw it in my dream. And you hurt Shinrei-Sama too."

She unconsciously rubbed the spot across her chest where the silver-haired man's pain had become her own and Hishigi made a small sound of interest in the back of his throat as he observed the gesture.

"So you felt that, did you?" he asked before following it with, "How fascinating. I did not expect someone so young to have such an advanced empathic ability. No wonder a promising soldier like Shinrei fell beneath your thrall. Doubtless you had already embedded yourself in his head and were pulling at his heartstrings to bend him to your will. It is a particular quirk of shamans with your abilities to deeply attach yourselves to specific people and feed off of their emotions."

The girl didn't quite know what he meant about her typing but she _did_ understand the part where he implied that Shinrei had only been nice and sacrificed himself for her because she _made_ him do it. And she did not at all like that insinuation. She'd been with her mentor up until he disappeared from her consciousness and his emotions had definitely been his own.

A frown settled on her face but she said nothing. His words brought back the memory of the water-user as he stood there, bleeding and in pain but still determined to protect them to the end and any desire she might have had to cooperate with her captor evaporated. She pinched her lips together and glared at him, internally stoking the flames of her anger because, if she stopped to think about it, she would be forced to dwell on how terrified she was.

Apparently sensing that his observations about her relationship with his subordinate were unwelcome, he changed tact and she jumped when gloved fingers slid beneath her chin and urged her head to tilt even further back. Pinching her jaw between thumb and forefinger, he turned her face this way and that, easily overcoming any resistance she put up while he cataloged her features.

"You _are_ a pretty child," he said after a while and she didn't think it was a compliment so much as it was an observation.

"I must say that the Demon Child provided me with some fantastic genetic material for my work. I don't have to work nearly so hard on the physical attributes of my dolls with people like you and your twin around. And for you to be a female with an extra ability built in on top of that makes it all the better. You have no idea how long I have tried to create a natural hybrid of Mibu and shaman. I've made some nice strides in the right direction, courtesy of your sibling, but it just isn't the same. You are special, indeed."

Aiko didn't like the way he said the word "special" and his touch made her skin crawl. The girl tried to jerk her head back but his fingers were like a steel vise and she couldn't move. Still she kept on trying and her panic continued to rise because the reality of her situation was finally coming to roost. She was well and truly caught, like a fly in a spider's web, and despite her anger at what he had done to Shinrei and her desire to be brave, she started to tear up.

Her twin was still with her mentally but he couldn't come and save her this time and her body started to tremble as the enormity of what she had done finally registered. Logically, she knew that trading herself for Ryu and Shinrei was the right thing to do but that didn't truly make it any easier when faced with a man like Hishigi, who acted like she was an object and whose very existence was invasive.

There was one more thing she now understood about the word "sacrifice". It also meant to live with the consequences of ones actions and she understood clearly that she could no longer go back on her decision. It was overwhelming and she began to cry in earnest.

"No need to weep, I haven't done anything to you yet," the dark man said in a pragmatic tone, as if she would find that statement even remotely comforting.

He sighed and took his fingers away from her face before grabbing ahold of her hand and pulling her after him, forcing her to keep up with his long strides as he continued speaking as if she weren't sobbing her eyes out.

"Since you are so special, a number will not do as a designation. You are destined to occupy a unique position among my other projects and I look forward to learning your secrets. I prefer to call your brother Subject R, so maybe Subject A will suffice for you."

Aiko only wept harder while he casually discarded the precious name her mother had given her simply because he could and, as she trailed Hishigi, her heart cried out for someone to come and rescue her quickly.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It took everything Ryu had to not to follow his sister and drag her back bodily when she ran away. No matter how much sense her plan made – and it was scary just how astute she had proven to be when he was usually the one who had to explain things to her - there was no way he could be okay with it. He couldn't bring himself to imagine what life would be like for his twin in Hishigi's wicked hands and he knew the moment she had run into the Doctor - her fear, anger, and disquiet were broadcasting loudly enough.

The boy forced himself to trudge away in the opposite direction from his twin, intending to make it to Taihaku to see if he could help Shinrei but it was a far journey. The Mibu didn't believing in doing things on a small scale and there was a lot of ground to cover on legs that were still very short. A part of him knew that he couldn't possibly make it in time to save his master and that he was probably already dead but he refused to even consider it. To do so would be to cheapen his sister's sacrifice and acknowledge that he had just suffered a permanent loss. He didn't think his heart could take anymore blows that day.

The hardest part was knowing that Aiko had also done what she did for his sake because she realized that Hishigi would send him to join their guardian if he dared to interfere and he found himself blinking back tears of anguish and frustration. He hated being so weak. Why couldn't he be strong like Shinrei or his father? Yes, the man who raised him had just been defeated but at least he could put up a fight and there were no words to describe his appreciation for his sire's display of skill and power.

Watching his father battle, he had felt as if he were looking at a man who could do anything if he put his mind to it and he wished with all his heart that he could be that strong one day. Strong enough to protect everyone he cared about and strong enough to swoop down and save his sister.

Unreasoning guilt over his inability to do anything for anyone else dragged at his heels and he scrubbed a hand across his face, hating the stupid, childish tears that wouldn't stop. So distraught was he that he didn't see the figure standing in his way until he was right up on her and even then he nearly tripped over her feet.

'"Why are you crying, little boy?" a toneless voice inquired and he looked up into a face that he knew well and that he was certain he would come to love if she would only help him.

It was as if the heavens had opened up and sent the one person with the skills needed to assist him. The child stared at Saisei as if she were a goddess and he had to force himself not to touch her to make sure she was real. While she waited patiently for him to answer her question, he quickly decided that he had no choice but to ask her help. If she could aid him after his ordeal in Hishigi's lab then he would ask her to do the same for Shinrei.

"Saisei-Sama, I need your help," he said and she cocked her head to the side.

"I do not mind performing a favor but now is not the time," she replied, "I came to inform your master that the Goyosei are being mobilized and that he needs to join us."

"But that's just it, Saisei-Sama. The person who _really_ needs your help is Shinrei-Sama," the boy said and there was a slight flicker in her dark gaze.

It wasn't something that he usually paid close attention to but he knew that invoking his instructor's name would get a reaction out of her. He couldn't really think of single time in his life when she had said "no" to anything Shinrei asked of her and this time was no exception.

Her eyes were piercing as she said, "Take me to him."

No questions were asked and no time was wasted as he jogged back to where the older man had fallen while she kept pace with him easily. Hishigi and Aiko were gone by the time they reached the ruined dojo and the only person left was Shinrei, who was lying in a pool of his own blood. The boy sucked in a sharp breath and almost tripped over his feet when he saw the shape he was in and a strong hand caught his shoulder, preventing him from getting any closer.

"Stay still and let me look at him," Saisei said and he nodded.

The tall woman strode over to his master and turned him over with gentle hands, revealing an unnaturally pale face that was bruising badly on the left side as if he had been struck. His tunic was ruined, soaked with so much blood that it was mostly purple now and torn badly where Hishigi had slashed him across the chest. The tips of his silver hair were stained red as well and Ryu had to clap a hand over his mouth to muffle his cry of alarm when his long limbs flopped about, boneless like a doll's.

"Calm yourself, boy. He may be close to his finish but he's not dead just yet."

"Really?" he asked, taking a tentative step closer.

She nodded and replied, "He is in a bad way and it's a miracle that his organs are still intact but it is not outside of my abilities to pull him away from the brink. However, please be aware that I am limited in what I can do without Saishi and I cannot completely repair damage that is this severe."

"Please just do whatever you can to save him," Ryu begged her, finally feeling the stirrings of optimism. Hope had refused to put in an appearance up to that point, ever since Aiko told him how she planned to buy him time.

Saisei's long fingers moved over Shinrei, knitting his torn flesh together, and the boy watched her work with fascinated eyes. The silence between the two of them stretched out until the boy realized that she had no intention of engaging him in conversation and he decided to break the quiet himself, if only because it would distract him from dwelling on what might have been happening to his twin.

"Don't you want to know what happened?" he asked after a while and she paused for half a second before shaking her head in the negative.

"A wound of this severity could only have been caused by one set of people in this clan. It is best that I don't know anything because I cannot hide things from Saishi. The only thing I understand is that he fought very hard for your sake."

"How did you...?" Ryu began, his tone incredulous.

"He's loved you from the beginning," she replied, "From the moment we went to fetch you from your mother. He thinks no one knows his dreams but I've always known. Family is so important to him that it's only natural that he would long for one of his own. And if he could not have a wife," he might have imagined the slight catch in her voice, "then at least he could have a son."

The boy had nothing to say to that and silence fell between them once more until she finished what she was doing and hoisted Shinrei's body up with her superhuman strength.

"Bring those," she ordered, nodding towards the twin crystalline swords that had fallen nearby and he did as she asked, grunting slightly at their weight and wondering how they could keep their shape with his master out of commission.

The two of them traveled as quickly as they could to Shinrei's room and Saisei stripped him down to his fundoshi, cleaning the blood off of him with brisk and efficient movements before rolling him into his bed and the pulling the covers over him.

"What happens now?" Ryu asked once she was done.

"Now he will rest and he should be a little better when he wakes up," she replied before her eyes landed on the twin punctures in his right hand and she reached for it.

Realizing what she was about to do, the boy jerked it out of her reach and shook his head emphatically as he said, "I don't want you to heal it."

One brow arched and she asked, "Why not? Does it not pain you?"

"Yes, it hurts but," he swallowed as he remembered sharp teeth digging into his skin and continued, "it's a reminder and a promise that I need to help someone as soon as I can."

The woman said nothing, merely gave him a measuring look before she stood and headed for the door, pausing at the threshold and staring back at the man on the bed with a gentle expression that was out of place on her normally stoic face. For once, Ryu wished he had Aiko's ability to read emotions because there were clearly a lot of things that were going unsaid with the female warrior - years worth of words that probably predated his own existence and would never make it out into the open.

"Little boy," she said after a while, "I was not going to tell you why the Five Stars have been summoned but you saved Shinrei's life by calling on me and I am inclined to return the favor."

The boy perked up and listened carefully to her next words as she continued, "We are being gathered together because your parents are here. The amount of time your master has to recuperate here is limited as he is likely already believed to be dead. If you desire further aid for him, do not expect it from anyone else in the clan besides Taihaku. Take this information and do what you will with it."

He nodded solemnly and Saisei's face resumed it's usual blank expression as she bowed slightly and uttered a stern "farewell" before turning and making her exit. Once the door closed behind her, Ryu pondered her words and realized that she had just told him what he should do next in her own roundabout way. A smile touched his lips as the full import of the gift he had been given began to register in his mind.

If the other clan members couldn't help him to get Shinrei out or save Aiko, he knew exactly who he _could_ call on and he laughed to himself, feeling lighter than he had all day. There was a path illuminated by hope and paved with certainty that was unfurling before him and he knew where to go and who had the power to make the impossible happen.

The boy wasted no time. He checked Shinrei over once more, making sure he was as comfortable as possible, before slipping out of the room and heading out to see Taihaku. However, a meeting with the head of the Goyosei wasn't his only goal. There were bigger fish to catch and as he reached through his bond to Aiko, cutting through the fear that had been a constant ever since the events of earlier, he sent her as much reassurance as he could. There was even a little excitement mixed in as well because, after almost four years and the slight disappointment of only seeing him from afar, he was finally going to meet his father for real.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hopefully that didn't come out too awkwardly. I always felt a bit sad for Saisei in the manga because she obviously had a crush on Shinrei but it was always destined to go nowhere because of who and what she was. I like her when she's by herself but her association with Saishi ruins her. =(

Still, poor Aiko is having a time of it but she is very much Yuya's child and Ryu will do his best by her. Also, who says Shinrei is completely down for the count? ;-) Still, there are going to be a few rough patches over the next few chapters and, in case you were wondering where this boost in maturity is coming from on Aiko's part, she's been spending a lot of time with her two favorite guys and both of them are bit on the serious side. Things are bound to rub off on her the same way her cheerfulness rubs off on them. Besides, the Mibu clan always struck me as the sort of place where children would grow up too quickly.

Anyways, thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts. There should hopefully be some Kyo and Hotaru battle action in the next chapter.


	29. Tagalongs and Flaming Idiots Part 1

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (Glad you enjoyed and I wanted to give Saisei a little nod because she cares so much for Shinrei), **lmamc** (Thanks!), **DebyMU** (I'll admit that drama isn't my favorite thing to write but it has it's place. Thanks for reading even though it isn't your thing and I'm glad you like the way I write the twins. As for Saisei, she's part of the reason why I like Shinrei so much. It doesn't matter who or what the person is, he tries to do right by them as long as they are in his family.), **kyoandyuya** (Seriously, Hishigi is a butthole. And yes, his calling Aiko "pretty" is at least partly in reference to her looks because, remember, his end goal is a new Mibu clan that is perfect and making them beautiful would also be included..Kyo has some fantastic genes in that area, you know. ;-) That said, every part of her, from her abilities to her bloodline, is of use to him. Saisei isn't a bad person and I wish I could keep her around but that really isn't possible because I refuse to let Saishi keep living and she'd definitely use her "puppet" first to save herself the trouble of fighting because she's horrible like that. I did give a little thought to the story you put forth but I don't have a definite plot and it would have to wait in line because I have so many ideas for a sequel to this and I really need to finish my other fic.), **Azure** (Yup, Aiko is definitely growing up a little and Hishigi is just horrible. Even though he and Fubuki did repent at the end, there was no way they wouldn't wind up paying for their crimes with their lives. I can't promise that he won't get to experiment on Aiko a little but he won't get as far as he'd like with her. I wish there was a way to keep Saisei around without Saishi staying alive but it's not possible because of what she is. I always thought her death was very honorable though and I will try to give her that in this fic as well. I'm also looking forward to the fight between Kyo and Hotaru since he gets to join the crew afterwards.), **Animallover** (A lot of the traits the kids picked up were from their environment. If they were reversed, Ryu would probably wind up a little more like Yuya and Aiko would probably be a bit more serious but, with the latter being what she is, she'd be way overpowered if she was too much like her father and we'd be heading into Mary Sue territory. ;-P Saisei's situation was heartbreaking but I will give her a noble end. It's just a pity that she can't exist apart from Saishi. I can't wait for Ryu to meet his parents too, expect some hilarity when Kyo sees him for the first time. ;-) And I'll try not to let Aiko get too hurt.), **magicalnana** (Ryu will get to see his father fight again though he isn't quite at the level Kyo was at his age so I'm not sure how much I could have him do yet.), **J Luc Pitard** (Saisei's tragic situation always pulled at my heartstrings. She had such an obvious crush but she's forever tied to an evil mistress. I'm glad the kids weren't so over the top that you were staring at the screen going "What in the world is this crap?" My oldest daughter is a little over three and kids really start picking up a lot of things at that age, so I can attests that all sorts of ideas can go through their heads. That said, Ai and Ryu will eventually get to play like normal kids since I'm not down for inflicting life-ruining childhood scars. If it makes you happy, neither Hishigi nor Fubuki are going to live through the end. In true SDK fashion, buttholes won't be allowed to stay alive and profit from their evil. ^_^)

 **Author's note:** Sorry for the long delay. I've been sick as a dog and I just couldn't write with a head full of cotton. =(

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 **Tagalongs and Flaming Idiots**

 **Part One**

The journey from the gate and through the town – which had degraded even further since his last visit - was uneventful and dull. Kyo welcomed the fact that they didn't have any delays but the calm was unnatural and unnerving and he found himself widening his senses out to keep a close eye on his surroundings. When the Mibu extended an invitation, it was always best to flip it over and make sure there wasn't a death threat scrawled on the back.

As a side effect of his suspicious nature and being on such high alert, it wasn't long after they passed through the residential area that he detected the presence of someone trailing behind them and his heart beat a little faster at the prospect of a fight. There was something about the person's ki that was familiar but, since all of the people he cared to travel with were in his sights instead of skulking around in the background, he ignored that feeling and stopped. Yuya paused as well and shot him an inquiring look and their friends followed suit.

"Someone's following us. Wait here," he said, shifting his sword slightly on his shoulder and turning around without another word.

The rest of his group held their positions as he stalked back the way they had come, red eyes searching the brush on either side of the road for a glimpse of their pursuer. The further he retraced his steps, the higher the spike in the ki he sensed and he finally caught a whiff of their, or rather her, scent and frowned, immediately placing the identity of his mysterious shadow.

Grumbling to himself mentally about unwanted hanger-ons, he paused once he was certain he was standing next to the spot where the woman was hiding and demanded in a voice laced with annoyance, "Get out here, Mahiro."

He could practically feel her surprise the moment he said her name and there was a moment of hesitation before he heard a tiny sigh and she emerged from the brush to stand before him with eyes that were rebellious and mistrustful.

"I don't even want to know how you knew I was following you," she said resentfully, folding her arms over her ampl cleavage and glaring at him.

"I love the part where you throw out attitude when you weren't even invited to my little party. What's your problem? Hoping to get a chance to take my head at last?" Kyo replied snarkily.

Those doe-brown eyes flashed briefly before she relocated them from his person and settled them upon Benitora, who had come up to stand next to Kyo and was staring at her in surprise.

"Believe it or not, everything isn't about you, Kyo," she replied and a near-imperceptible blush stained her cheeks as she continued, "I just came to ensure that Hidetada-Sama returns in one piece."

If Yuya hadn't told him about the female ninja's feelings, he would have been completely oblivious to the underlying reasons for her spying on his group. As it was, he was annoyed at the prospect of babysitting two sets of adults who were suffering from unrequited love – he counted Bon and Okuni in there too.

The old Kyo would have told the lot of them to go off, have sex, and come back when they were normal and less likely to get on his nerves but he figured it would have been a bit hypocritical of him. He'd beat around the bush long enough when it came to his feelings and desires for Yuya, back before she put her life on the line with Shinrei and confessed her love to him. He hadn't taken his own advice then and it would be senseless to suggest it now. Still, he'd rather they get their crap together sooner rather than later instead of slowing him down with potential drama.

Letting out a sigh, he said harshly, "He's a grown-freaking-man, Mahiro, and you're a big girl yourself. Why didn't you just ask him if you could tag along?"

The kunoichi gave a tiny start and her cheeks grew even redder while Benitora looked on in puzzlement, scratching a sideburn as he said, "Kyo-Han does have a point. I know you work for my old man but I wouldn't have turned you away if you asked to come. Your skills are exceptional, Mahiro-Han."

A brief silence fell during which Mahiro looked beyond pleased at receiving a compliment and Kyo - who was annoyed at being delayed on behalf of someone else's crush and because he was already on edge with anticipation of an impending attack - decided to cut to the chase. Guilty conscience about his past with her or not, he wasn't suffering through a loss of time because people couldn't get their feelings sorted. He had his own kids to rescue and a battle with a self-proclaimed god that had been years in the making.

Opening his mouth to say something rude, he was halted by a sharp elbow in his ribs and turned to glared down at his wife, who had made her way over to stand next to him, no doubt to prevent him from saying exactly what he was about to say. She shook her head and there was such a pleading look in her green eyes that he forced himself to swallow his words. Kyo quietly cursed himself because she had so much power over him and because he let her get away things that no one else could. He hoped she appreciated the fact that he was willing to exercise tact on her behalf.

As if reading his mind, her expression gentled and she mouthed a small "thank you" at him before turning to Mahiro and saying, "You are welcome to join us, of course, Mahiro-San. You've been watching over Tora-San for a while now and it probably felt a little strange to have him gone. Doubly so because this is such a dangerous place."

Those brown eyes turned to appraise Yuya for a long moment and an unspoken communication went between the two women before the dark-haired assassin nodded. Offering his wife a tiny smile that startled him with how soft it made her face look – almost as sweet as it had been years ago when she nursed a shy crush for _him_ – she slowly relaxed her posture.

"Thank you for being understanding, Yuya-San," the kunoichi said, "I know you are in a hurry. I won't slow you down and I'll try not to let my feelings get the best of me."

Kyo suspected she was talking about both her attraction to the son of her employer and her long-standing grudge with him and he raised a brow at her but refrained from digging deeper. It just wasn't his style to keep people from doing whatever they wanted to do, provided they had the balls to live with the consequences of their actions.

Mentally resigning himself to putting up with yet another set of reluctant lovebirds, he turned and started heading in the direction of the first set of gates once more, saying firmly, "Just don't get in the way. There are too many of us traipsing all over the place as is. It's not like the Mibu will miss a mini army heading for their precious king and castle, so don't be surprised if we run into traps along the way."

With that stern warning, he marched on and the group followed suit, with Mahiro falling into place behind Tora and Yuya doing the same to her husband. The pounding of their footsteps made him uncomfortable and he decided that it was probably going to be a good idea to split up at some point to make them a little less conspicuous. From his memories of the castle beyond the gates, the Mibu property was a bit on the labyrinthine side and separating would also allow them to cover more ground.

Of course, he _could_ haveasked Kyoshiro for directions but he hated getting help from the other man and he'd been looking pretty rundown of late. Something was going on with his former friend and he didn't like that fact that the younger man kept staring off towards the castle more and more with a blank expression on his face. It was like his mind wasn't there half the time and it only added to Kyo's growing unease that something crazy was going to go down at some point.

Another hour passed as they approached the first gate and the moment it was in sight, Yuya asked him in a soft voice, "Hey, Kyo, do you think they'll attack us in the same order as last time?"

It was a simple question but he knew what she was really asking him. Did he think they would run into Chinmei first again? Her face was outwardly calm but he knew she was worried and for good reason. The gravity-manipulator was unpredictable and insane. He'd tormented her horribly the last time, playing with her life and cutting it dangerously short, both because he enjoyed being cruel and because he'd wanted to force his hand, as per Fubuki's instructions.

During the years he'd spent apart from his wife, he'd only come into contact with the man occasionally and when he did, something about the Goyosei member had put his back up. The Mibu had taken away all of his memories of the man - from Mayumi's death eight years prior to his involvement in their last foray into the clan - but there had always been something in Chinmei's manner that was off-putting. A mocking edge to his demeanor like he was having a private joke at his expense. Now that his life was his own again, he understood what the punchline had been and he looked forward to having an opportunity to show the man exactly what he thought of his little jest.

He hadn't lied to Yuya back at the hot spring when he told her that he would have his vengeance and enjoy every part of it. That had been the wild part of him speaking, the side that revelled in destruction and enjoyed the sight of his enemies' blood painting his sword. The same beast he sometimes struggled with when he made love to his wife - particularly since he'd returned - who urged him to sink his fangs into her skin and do any number of things to mark her as his own. It was such a wicked, possessive feeling and he wondered if it would get worse the stronger he got.

Kyo still didn't think he would ever get to the point where he would hurt his wife but for one second, while she was sitting in front of him listening to his dark plans for the people who had stolen their children away, he had pictured what it would be like to tear his opponents apart with his bare hands.

There was a brief, wild urge to fight, to bathe in a sea of blood and death. And then his mind had

Followed it up with the strikingly violent image of him painting his red fingers across her skin, after he'd killed anyone who displeased her, to show her the proof of his power and his evil devotion to her.

He'd mark her, make her his. And in the end, when there was nothing left, no more enemies to fight, he would turn to her, bare his teeth and his sword and...

...What?

What would he do and what price would he pay to become the strongest? His friends? His family? His sanity? Would it all be paid in blood? Against his shoulder, Tenrou hummed and he had a moment to ponder why his sword had stopped guiding him. It had sent him to his mate in the first place and now that they were together again, his weapon was quiet. No more visits from imaginary, naked Yuya. No more showing him images of the past. He had a feeling that there was more to it but his sword remained silent, only vibrating in response to his tumultuous thoughts and emotions as it always had.

Muramasa had told him many times that his cursed blades were living things and Kyo sometimes wondered if there was a deeper meaning to that statement. He knew that his weapon had a mind of its own and had chosen him as master but there were some occasions where he felt as if there was something missing. That if he were only strong enough or astute enough, he could do so much more.

His sword hummed again and he imagined that he heard a wolf howling in the distance in response but by the they were already at the first gate and he was forced to turn his attention to more pressing matters.

At first glance, there was no one waiting for them. The vast courtyard was empty and there were only the large red double doors looming before them. Beside him, Yuya turned her blonde head this way and that as she searched for any signs of their enemy but Kyo kept his eyes focused dead ahead on the gate itself. There was someone there alright, someone who was very familiar to him and his body was screaming at him that there was peril beyond that checkpoint.

"Get behind me, woman," he said in a dangerously soft tone and she didn't hesitate to do as he asked, demonstrating that trust he so adored.

The rest of his group was on alert as well and they all collectively tensed up when a low rumble sounded and the doors began to open up. A weaker fighter would have missed the warning sign that followed but he wasn't just anyone. There was a tiny gust of unusually hot air that reached him right before the portal swung open fully and a mass of flames in the shape of a bird poured through, heading directly for him.

In less than a second he had his sword out and was slicing through the fiery attack that so brazenly mimicked his own, extending his aura out ever so slightly to insure that the halves of the bird dissipated harmlessly on either side of him so that Yuya wouldn't get hurt.

"Just as I thought. It's nowhere near as wonderful as your Suzaku," a mellow voice he recognized well said and Kyo cast his red gaze forward, staring at the young man who stood between the two leaves of the gate.

The sun glinted off of his blond hair, drawing out the red highlights and reminding Kyo of the flames his old companion wielded with such skill. It was in striking contrast to the cold golden eyes that took in the group of people in front of him, examining each of the warriors in turn before alighting on Kyo once more.

A moment of silence fell before Hotaru's brow furrowed quizzically and his head tilted to the side as he asked, "Are you having a party, Kyo? There's big, dumb Bon, crossdressing Akari, and Akira with the blue butt," Akira made an annoyed sound and the other two Shiseiten in his group chuckled.

"Two women with giant boobs, some guy I think I saw once," this was said of Kyoshiro, "Kyo's wife," there was no hiding the edge in his voice at the mention of the woman he viewed as Kyo's weakness.

Those narrow eyes landed on Benitora and Sasuke and they could visibly see his brain working for a second to place the two of them before he said, "And you two are...Takeshi-Kun and Yukio-Kun."

There was an awkward pause before the nobleman and ninja exchanged a glance and Tora asked, "Did he just legit make up names for us?"

"Yup, that's Hotaru for you, still as stupid as ever," Akari said with an amused smile and the rest of the group laughed until the blonde-haired man put an end to it by switching modes.

One moment he was still their brainless friend and in the next he was radiating so much killing intent that everyone automatically reached for their swords.

The hand holding Hotaru's unique double-bladed sword was raised until the blade was pointing at Kyo and the younger man said in a cold voice, "It's Keikoku of the Five Stars. The person you knew as Hotaru never existed."

"But," Akari began and Kyo cut him off.

"Yeah, I heard you the last time, Hotaru. Something about being a spy for the Mibu all along. Seriously, what is it with the clan and me? First you and then Akari. I wish they'd mind their own business instead of constantly sticking their noses into mine."

"There's no helping it," Hotaru replied, "You were powerful and outside of their control. I always admired thay about you. That and your solitude. It was what made you strong and I wanted to imitate that isolation so I could defeat you and anyone else who stood in my way to the top."

"I've done plenty on my own while you sat there and grew soft, weak. Instead of the powerful and lonely Kyo I once knew, I'm staring at a man surrounded by people. It's enough to make me sick," his contempt was palpable.

"Man, you're awfully chatty right now, aren't you," Kyo said with a grin, "where was this little heart-to-heart when you had me all to yourself these past four years?"

"Who would want to fight a man so weak that he gave himself up for a female who can't defend herself? I had no interest in taking on a pitiful version of you. Led around by that wife cowering behind you. "

"Cowering?" he heard Yuya say from behind him and he tensed up, readying himself for anything when she stepped up next to him.

"Just because I'm not as powerful as you and Kyo, that doesn't make me a coward. You've got some kind of nerve to throw names out like you're better than I am when you and the rest of your rotten clan stole my brother, husband, and children from me in addition to countless other innocent lives. Kami, you're as bad as Shinrei!"

It was absolutely the wrong thing to say. The only heads-up Kyo had was a slight narrowing of those golden eyes before Hotaru simply vanished and he had to twist around quickly to block the dagger-like tip of his hilt with Tenrou, preventing him from stabbing Yuya through her slender throat.

His wife flinched slightly and pressed herself closer to him but she did not drop her gaze from the other man. Her body was rigid and her stubborn desire to prove him wrong was in full swing.

Hotaru gave her an assessing look before taking a small step back and saying, "Don't ever compare me to _him_! You don't know anything, woman. I serve no one. My goal always has been and always will be to be the strongest. Once I defeat Kyo, the rest of the Stars are next and then the Taishirou and finally the king himself. Kyo used to be the same as me before you ruined him. Get in my way and I'll cut you down."

Kyo used his free hand to push Yuya behind him once more and said tauntingly, "You keep going on and on about how I've been ruined and how I'm so weak, why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

An expression that was almost pleased crossed that normally blank face and Hotaru assumed his stance as he replied, "Finally."

The Thousand Killer grinned and took his own position as he said to the rest of his group, "The lot of you should go on ahead. This is a conversation that's been a long time coming. You don't mind, do you, Hotaru?"

"I couldn't care less what they do, I can always kill them later," he replied before saying in a hard voice, "but I already said that it's Keikoku."

"Well, that's just too bad. If you want me to call you that, you'll have to make me. And when I'm done wiping the floor with your butt, I'm going to pick that empty head of yours about my missing brats."

Hotaru let out a snort of derision but made no move as the rest of Kyo's group cautiously shuffled past the two of them and through the gate until the only extras left were Akari – who refused to leave Kyo in case his healing abilities were needed – and Kyoshiro, who watched on in silence and kept Yuya out of the way .

A stiff breeze blew between the two combatants as they sized one another up and the moment it died down, it was if a signal had been given.

Kyo moved in first, testing out the waters with a wide slash that Hotaru easily parried before swinging his sword from overhead and forcing Kyo to sidestep the blow. The older man didn't miss a beat, flanking the fire-user's side and catching him across the ribs with a strike that was blazing fast and should have bisected him across the chest.

It was too easy and, unsurprisingly, Hotaru's body flickered before turning into a plume of fire that dissolved into the air. Movement at his side alerted him to another attack and Kyo ducked to avoid a swing aimed at his neck and brought his sword up to deflect when Hotaru used his momentum to spin his body around and attempted a backhanded stab with the sharp end of his hilt.

Steel rang out against steel and Kyo had to admit that, even if he was an idiot in most other aspects of life, Hotaru was no slouch when it came to battle. Finding openings in his guard wasn't easy since they were pretty evenly matched in speed. It was a far cry from their last battle, where he had managed to disarm the other man, literally, and he surmised that the younger man's competitive nature had most likely pushed him to even greater heights of strength.

The prospect of finding out just how strong Hotaru had gotten made his demon's blood boil with anticipation and he couldn't stop himself from grinning as the two of them exchanged blows, feeling out each other's defenses as they built up to the main event. However, Hotaru's face didn't change much and, after a while, he started to look downright dissatisfied.

So much so that Kyo asked in between one series of attacks and the next, "What's wrong, Hotaru? You look like someone pissed in your food."

"This isn't the same," the fire-user said after a while, stepping back for a moment and staring at Kyo with contemptuous eyes.

"Where's that fury? That killing intent so strong that I feel like I'm drowning? Even Shinrei is more fun than you right now. I don't understand how you managed to beat him when even I haven't done it yet."

"Shinrei this and Shinrei that. You sure are hung up him, Hotaru. Is he your boyfriend or something?" Kyo taunted.

"Stupid, Kyo," Hotaru replied with more heat than Kyo was used to hearing in his normally emotionless voice.

The blonde closed in with a vicious slash that Kyo threw his sword up to block only to feel pain along his side as Hotaru matched his movement at the last second and redirected his blow.

He stepped back and the other man said with a hate-laden tone, "He's my half-brother."

"Oh great! Gonna thrill me with a story now, are you?" the Thousand Killer replied.

"Shinrei is my old man's heir and I'm the son from his concubine," Hotaru said, ignoring Kyo's sarcastic tone completely.

"My brother is a useless, stuck-up, naive puppet and I hate him. Everything with him is duty and service and I refuse to be anything like him."

"Aww, poor you," Kyo mocked as their swords connected once more, "want me to cry for you? You aren't the first bastard with a noble daddy who neglected him and you won't be the last. Don't tell me you chose fire just because Shinrei uses water."

Hotaru's face scrunched up slightly in response and Kyo knew he had nailed it on the head even before the other man vocally confirmed it with, "I don't want to follow him in anything. If he gets strength from fighting for the clan and his comrades, then I have no use for such things. For me to defeat you, the man who already beat him will be proof enough of the power to be found in solitude. You might have gotten stronger for a moment but the person you are now, a man who has weighed himself down with _family_ ," he sneered the word, "and friends will have to work hard to overcome the warrior I've become."

"Behold my power, Kyo," he leapt backwards and up, reaching an incredible height with the sky as his backdrop before his ki spiked and he swung his sword, yelling, "Shakuran Entei!"

The air around him took on an ominous red glow before flames gathered around his blade and Kyo threw up both Tenrou and his aura to block as a massive fireball was launched at him. The sweat on his face evaporated instantly as the flames enveloped his body and he used his ki to channel the attack around his body, listening to the stones as they cracked underneath the immense pressure and heat Hotaru was generating.

The seconds it took to wait out the end of the attack felt like an eternity and when the sky was visible to him again, Hotaru was no longer above him and the hairs on the back of his neck prickled in alarm. Throwing himself to the side, he dodged the other man's blade and flipped over a second time to avoid the follow-up jab with the dagger on the other end.

Calling up his ki quickly and infusing it into his sword, he swung it at the blonde man the moment his feet touched the ground again and yelled, "Mizuchi!"

The air in front of his blade shimmered before heading towards his opponent, carving a wide gash in the ground as it moved. His former associate stuck the tip of his sword into the ground and flames rose up from the point, shooting up in tall plume that expanded around Hotaru's body to form a wall that consumed his Mizuchi. Sucking his teeth because he knew that the other man was unscathed, he was nonetheless annoyed when the curtain of fire dissipated and he saw that his enemy had disappeared again.

Unlike his brother, who essentially flowed around an opponent's attacks and manipulated them into moving the way he wanted them to, Hotaru chained his attack and defense together. Kyo couldn't help but to admire a talent that allowed a person to seamlessly shift an offensive stance into a defense one and vice versa. His admiration was short-lived however when a ripple in his perimeter indicated that Hotaru was incoming and he took a step back to avoid the short end of his opponent's sword from catching him in the throat.

Hotaru wasn't finished however and Kyo swore and hastily threw up his aura and Hotaru called out almost gently, "Maoen."

He vaguely heard Yuya call his name before his world was consumed by a fire blast that was hotter than anything he'd encountered thus far. Hotaru's ki burned brilliantly and he knew that the younger man had to be using a lot of it to generate such a massive burst of heat, glowing intensely in his mind's eye like his namesake, the firefly. The attack was so hot that even the air he took into his lungs burned and his skin was losing moisture at an alarming rate.

Still, he weathered the inferno blazing around him with the power of his aura and struck out at the spot where the other man's ki flamed the brightest since his vision was obscured by the fire. He smirked in satisfaction when his sword connected with flesh and bone and stood tall when the flames abruptly parted before winking out of existence.

There was a near perfect circular groove carved into the ground surrounding him to mark where the attack had come up against Kyo's barrier. It was a dangerous technique and he actually had to exert himself a bit to counter it but he could tell that it required a lot of power and was confident that he could defeat Hotaru if this was all the other man had to offer. He cracked his neck from side to side as if to say "I'm just getting warmed-up" and smirked at Hotaru, who clutched at a nasty gash along his side.

Raising his blade, he asked nonchalantly, "Is that all?"

Those already narrow eyes squinted even more and Hotaru responded with, "I've barely gotten started. I'm still waiting to see the real Kyo but if that's all you have, then I'll show you my true power and end this quickly."

If it were anyone else he would have laughed it off but, since Hotaru didn't joke around when it came to battle, Kyo raised his guard. A feeling of foreboding came over him as he watched his opponent dip the tips of the fingers on each hand in his own blood before reaching up to paint curling lines across his cheeks until his face was reminiscent of a mask from a Noh play.

"Since we both know you are destined for hell anyways, allow me to show you just how hot the flames there burn, Kyo," he said and then he disappeared again.

True to his word, Hotaru kicked it up a notch and Kyo found himself having to go heavily on the defensive, blocking lightning fast strikes that forced him back over and over again.

"Where is he, Kyo? Show me the old you who got so strong all on his own and needed no one," his former companion said over and over again, both verbally and mentally every time their swords met. And Kyo found himself getting annoyed, not because the fight was hard but because the Hotaru in front of him was a far cry from the one he had once known.

While it was true that the blonde was, by default, a very cold-blooded individual – a bizarre contrast to his element of choice - he also remembered occasions where the other man had laughed and been just as stupid as the rest of the Shiseiten. He recalled a young man who had eventually opened up and gotten drunk with them, picked fights with them, and smiled as they fought side by side. Even though he had always been a loner, Kyo had enjoyed his time spent with his Generals and a part of him got angrier and angrier the more he listened to Hotaru talk about how strong he wanted to get all by himself.

It wasn't that he couldn't see where Hotaru had gotten such an idea because, like the rest of them, he'd had a crappy life, but Kyo had only gotten stronger ever since he realized that the people traveling with him weren't just tagalongs but friends as well. Would he have ever reached greater heights if he had never met someone like Yuya, who never minded her own business but loved everyone around her unconditionally? A woman who submitted herself to him - heart, soul, and body - trusting that he would never hurt her and believing in his power wholeheartedly.

Tenrou, in the guise of his wife, had once told him to think on how important she was, to ask why it was he always saw her in his dreams and he understood that she was salvation. She was the person who made him better than he was and gave him a reason to fight. The woman who elevated him above his baser instincts to crush and destroy. Hotaru didn't have a Yuya. He didn't have friends to fight for and was pushing away the real strength they could bequeath to him in the process.

Maybe it was because he hated to see a warrior go to waste or because a part of him wanted to see the old Hotaru who had made him laugh once upon a time but as they exchanged blows, he asked bluntly, "Aren't you misremembering things, Hotaru?"

The blonde glared at him and replied, "I've blocked out most of my time with you but I remember clearly that we were all our own person and that no one could defeat us."

"You make it sound so cold, Hotaru," Kyo said, "I remember your face clearly. For such a lonely guy, you were always behind us smiling."

Hotaru flinched and hopped backwards, clutching at the side of his head as if he were in pain.

Pressing his slight advantage, Kyo continued, "I can think of a few times that you actually got drunk. Some pretty wild things came out of your mouth then."

The muscles on either side of Hotaru's mouth worked as he grit his teeth and shook his head, fixing baleful eyes on Kyo as he said, "I don't need those sorts of memories. Everytime I try to pull them up I get an uneasy feeling here," he jerked a thumb at his chest

"I hate it. If I can carve it out by destroying you and the rest of the Shiseiten, then I will be that much closer to my goal of being the strongest."

"If you have enough time to try and distract me, Kyo, then try this on for size," he said, his expression hardening further as if Kyo had done something particularly hateful.

Taking a large leap to land him a fair distance away, he started intoning words beneath his breath about a "devil king" and the air around him glimmered ominously until, one by one, black fireballs appeared and encircled him. Like evil spirits, the deadly spheres bobbed up and down in a simulacrum of life and even from a distance Kyo could tell that they were far hotter than anything Hotaru had thrown at him thus far.

At the end of his chant, Hotaru raised his sword above his head and yelled out, "Demon's Breath!"

The black flames shot forward, streaking over the battlefield like destructive shooting stars and, for a moment, Kyo thought he saw a figure with tattered black wings and a snarling face above the other man. There was no time to dwell on the illusion though because the first of the dark balls slammed into the ground at his feet and he took an additional step back when the stone beneath immediately melted into a slag puddle.

 _'What is it with both brothers and trying to melt my face off?'_ he wondered irritably, recalling Shinrei's acidic red dragons as he threw up a barrier to try and stop the attack.

His defense held for less than a second and he swore again as the flames burned through his barrier and he was forced to dodge them, knowing that it would be deadly if even one of them touched his body. Hotaru followed the attack up by leaping into the air again and throwing out another Maoen.

This time Kyo couldn't block it completely and he caught the acrid scent of singed flesh and hair as his body hit the ground hard enough to leave an impression.

"Kyo!" Yuya's voice sounded over the ringing in his ears and he could hear the fear and worry therein.

Hotaru's shadow loomed over him for a split second as he said with disgust, "She's made you useless. Here you are struggling and you still won't show me the old Kyo. Perhaps if I remove her from the picture, you'll give me a fight worth remembering."

He took a step away from the fallen warrior and turned towards his frightened wife and there was a moment where Kyo was watching, as if from a distance, as Kyoshiro and Akari stepped in front of her with the intent to guard her. He knew very well how strong the former assassin was and that the shaman was no slouch either. He understood that Hotaru couldn't keep throwing out strong attacks forever and that he would eventually burn out and be defeated by either of his other two companions.

However, neither of the other two men were Yuya's husband. It wasn't Kyoshiro or Akari that her green eyes landed on, silently demanding more from them. No, it was himself, Demon Eyes Kyo the Thousand Killer, who she believed in the most. Her eyes locked with his, urging him to get up and reminding him that his power was near limitless wherever she was concerned.

That verdant emerald gaze wasn't accusing. Rather, he saw sparks and realized that his wife was annoyed. She wasn't standing there and wondering why he was weak, she was silently demanding why he wasn't tearing Hotaru a new one.

It brought a smirk to his lips.

There was one thing that Hotaru was right about, he wasn't fighting at full strength. Kyo hadn't even tapped into the reserves that he'd utilized to defeat Shinrei and he decided that he had played around long enough. He'd briefly attempted to call up Hotaru's memories of their past camaraderie but neither of them were the emotional sort. The ability to ascertain a person's heart condition and appeal to their better nature was _her_ domain - Yuya's talent - and there were times where her gift could be relied upon to turn a bad situation around.

This wasn't one of those times.

Hotaru was an idiot - always had been and always would be. The only thing that would penetrate his thick skull was a prime, grade-A beat down and Kyo was just fine with being the man to serve it up to him. His heartbeat quickened at the thought of going wild again and Tenrou thrummed in his hand, approving of his shift in attitude.

He'd screwed up once by underestimating the Mibu and it had cost him his newly minted family. He wasn't about to let anyone else touch what was his a second time and he could feel his inner demon purring in contentment at the idea of bringing the pain even harder. As he dragged himself to his feet, a laugh started deep inside his chest, working its way up his throat in the wake of his rising bloodlust as he mentally reviewed and savored the havok he was about to wreak.

So Hotaru thought he could do as he pleased? That he could touch his belongings and get away with it? He wanted to see the _real_ Kyo, did he? Apparently he had forgotten the sort of man he used to be.

If the fool wanted to believe that he had grown soft, that was his problem. He might have discovered a hitherto unknown gentle side but it belonged to one person, and one person alone. If he showed kindness, it was solely because she willed it and he would do anything for her – whether it was to make her a queen or kill anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way.

Now, Hotaru had the audacity to point his sword at _her_ , of all people.

Whatever charity Kyo might have been able to muster evaporated as he opened his mouth to free the wicked chuckle that had been building inside of him and his tongue curled around his fangs while his body shivered in anticipation of some good old-fashioned bloodletting.

Kyo had four years of vengeance and mayhem saved up and Shinrei had only been the beginning. It was time to show his old friend that he needed to be _very_ careful what he wished for.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I'll be honest, evil Kyo is kind of fun to write if only because I get to showcase the fact that he is a better person when he is paired with Yuya. =3 I love that she is the catalyst for bringing out the good in him and forcing him to increase in power in the manga and I just adore their relationship. Coming next, Hotaru gets a butt whoopin' by big bad Kyo and bridges are mended between him and the crew.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please do let me know what you think.


	30. Tagalongs and Flaming Idiots Part 2

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Thanks for the catch, I don't know how in the world I missed that when I was re-reading for errors. Glad you enjoyed it nonetheless.), **magicalnana** (About Hotaru, IKR! He's so clueless in all other areas of life. One evil samurai coming up next. ;-)), **DebyMU** (Kyo is so shy about expressing emotions that he'd be weirded out by people being all lovey-dovey around him. Thanks for the catch on Hotaru, it's fixed now. Thank for the well wishes, I hate being sick.), **Animallover** (Believe me when I say that I really look forward to Kyo meeting Ryu for the first time. I love writing comedy almost as much as romance. I still haven't watched Fairy Tail yet but that's partly due to a lack of time with my other series and the kids. Kyo's about to lay a smackdown on Hotaru. ^_^), **Rinfantasy** (I love writing Kyo's thoughts on Yuya because he's such a tough guy but a total softie when it comes to his Yuya. Ryu is going to hang out at Taihaku's for a bit because Kyo has to get there eventually and it's the safest place for him. I thought about having him make the trek to meet up with his dad but I thought it would be a little silly since he has only so much ground he can cover and I don't want him running into Chinmei or Saishi :shudder:), **Azure** (Glad you liked the little bit of romance I managed to slip in. Yuya is such a likeable person, which is rare for most shonen manga heroines, and I don't get the hate people have for her either. I know people get mad because they feel she is useless since she isn't a main fighter and the anime doesn't do her justice, but I don't know what they expect out of her when she only has four years of training and is essentially up against superpowered gods. Besides, she makes an awesome contrast to Kyo since he's violent and strong enough for two people. I re-read the manga and Hotaru really becomes a lot more awesome once he starts to appreciate his friends.), **lmamc** , **J Luc Pitard** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to continue the battle and get Hotaru on the right side. You're right about Tenrou, I can just see the First King shaking his head and going, "listen to me, dang it!" Unfortunately, Kyo has to do the RPG thing and increase his stats first. Still, when I get to the chapter where he gets ultimate power, I'm putting on "The Touch" by Stan Bush to set the mood. =P), **kyoandyuya** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and that I could make you laugh. I'm not a yaoi fan either and Kyo's comment about Shinrei being Hotaru's boyfriend was a slight dig at the pairing because I'm not sure how anyone can write the two of them as a couple with a straight face and yet most of the fics with the brothers in it are yaoi-cest. That's part of the reason why I give the two of them attention here since I think they deserve better than to be a fetish pairing. Believe it or not, Aiko was born out of my musings that, if Yuya had a superpower, it would be as an empath since she holds so much power over the people around her.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 **Tagalongs and Flaming Idiots**

 **Part Two**

' _I've lost my mind,'_ Yuya thought to herself.

There was no other explanation for the sense of relief that put in an appearance when Hotaru took a step towards her and she saw the look in her husband's eyes change from battle-ready to murderous.

Up to that point in the battle, one thing had stuck out clearly in her mind. She wasn't sure how she knew it but she could tell that Kyo wasn't putting his best foot forward. His movements were as fast and graceful as she remembered but his demeanor was different. That overwhelming power and fury that alternately scared her and turned her on was missing and she had wondered when he was finally going to work his way up to that point.

Of course, her faith in him was unwavering but she had to fight with herself not to yell at him to stop playing around and get serious. The fight with his fire-wielding ex-companion didn't need a controlled Kyo, it required the wild version who had earned a name for himself through an unprecedented level of ferocity and signed his legacy in blood. It needed the man who could laugh at death because he knew he was the biggest, the hardest, and the best. It needed the Thousand Killer. _She_ needed the Thousand Killer - the living legend who moved her heart like no other - so that she could reassure herself of his ability to set things right.

By all appearances, her prayers were about to be answered because he was coming.

"Uh oh, looks like Hotaru's about to get himself killed," Akari said and Yuya nodded in agreement.

It had been four years since she'd seen Kyo in action and as the echoes of his wild laughter faded, she felt a shiver go through her. The aura around Kyo was growing darker by the moment and his killing intent was filling the air to the point that she felt as if there were invisible hands wrapped around her neck, preparing to choke the life out of her.

"Careful, Yuya," Kyoshiro murmured, shifting so that he could stand in front of her with his hand on his sword.

"He's dangerous when he gets like this and his aura alone is enough to kill."

"Yes...," she replied but it was half-hearted.

Yuya understood and appreciated his concern but she couldn't pull her gaze away. Watching Kyo fight was both terrifying and exhilarating and she wanted to see with her own eyes just how powerful he had gotten. According to her husband, he'd already defeated Shinrei and she took heart in the fact that he had beaten someone whom she had once viewed as being impossibly strong – the first person she'd ever seen Kyo struggle against. And now he was facing the very brother of the man who had pushed him to improve in the first place.

Her worry for her husband lasted right up until that crushing, evil intent of his hit her. There was a moment where she stopped breathing and she didn't know if it was voluntary or involuntary. Truthfully, she could not be bothered to differentiate because she was too busy keeping her legs from buckling under the pressure. Kyo's ki was rising, curling out from him and writhing across her skin as he mapped out his surroundings. It wasn't a pleasant feeling but she clenched her teeth and stood tall, staring past Kyoshiro's shoulder and meeting her husband's ruby gaze as steadily as she could manage.

She was afraid - only an idiot with no sense of self-preservation wouldn't be - but she held his eyes nonetheless. He was Demon Eyes Kyo, the most powerful man ever born and she believed in that fact wholeheartedly. Yes, he was a harbinger of ruin and slaughter but she loved him and understood his darkness well enough to accept it. Like clouds before the wind, his humanity was fleeing the storm brewing within and he allowed her a nice long look at the demon that slept inside of him.

With his dark hair gilded in red and those burning eyes boring into her, he painted a picture that was as frightening as it was inhumanly beautiful. For one moment, she could see why people viewed the Mibu as gods and wondered how it was that someone so divine had condescended to enter human society and acknowledge her presence. But the feeling was fleeting and she quickly remembered that the dark being before her had chosen her to be his wife. She had too much pride to disgrace either herself or him by cowering and being anything less than the strong woman who had captured the heart of the wild creature standing before her.

It took all her willpower but she offered him a smile and nodded slightly, agreeing that his wildness was allowed and necessary, though she harbored no illusions that he was asking for anything as useless as her permission. This was Kyo, after all, and he would do what he wanted.

Instead, it was her way of reassuring him that no matter how crazy he got, at the end of the day she would be there waiting for him because he wasn't just any demon, he was _her_ demon. If he came to her with blood-splattered hands, she would welcome his touch, kiss him softly, and remind him that she loved him.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but she thought his eyes softened for half a second – as if he could hear her thoughts - and the sensation of his power crawling across her form gentled ever so slightly, reminding her that he would never hurt her. It was as subtle as a sigh but as potent as a physical caress and she flushed in reaction because only Kyo could make imminent violence seem sexy.

Wretched man, he _knew_ what he did to her and his smirk widened a hair before he turned his attention to Hotaru and motioned his head away from his wife and towards the battlefield in invitation.

"I think it's time we got the _real_ show started," he said and Hotaru, after glancing at Yuya once more, actually grinned a bit in return.

"Give me a good fight, Kyo" the younger man said, "and I might not burn these useless followers you've dragged along with you to ash after I send you to hell."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyo laughed at the blonde man's audacity and strode off, trusting that his desire to fight him at full strength would make him follow.

In his hand Tenrou practically purred, feeding off of his bloodlust and anticipating the continuance of the fight. In his mind, he went over how he wanted to play with his old companion, analyzing the moves he'd seen so far and planning his counter-strategy. And by counter-strategy, he meant serving Hotaru's butt to him on a platter and rewarding himself with a well-deserved physical perusal of his woman's assets.

Speaking of which, he could still feel her gaze on his back and he absently poked at a fang with the tip of his tongue, picturing the way those brilliant green eyes had stared into his. He took great pride in knowing that - after four years - she could still weather the gale-like intensity of his killing aura and desire him at the end of it.

Bold and defiant, yet gentle and adoring, his wife was a study in contrasts and he reminded himself that he had a reward set aside specifically for her. Hadn't his vivid dreams of her when he was captive to the clan given him the answer? His strength in exchange for her love? Her pleasure in exchange for her trust? Ah, but she teased his own pleasure from him as well and he loved her for it.

It was wholly inappropriate for the moment at hand but he had a momentary flashback to the Shogun's castle and the night when he had asked her to seduce him. Though her fingers and mouth had been shy at first, in the end he'd been at her mercy and she showed him in no uncertain terms that he wasn't the only person who could make his spouse moan.

If he closed his eyes he could see that brilliant emerald gaze focused on him, smell her unique fragrance, hear her breath hitch ever-so-slightly as she gathered her courage to speak at the end of it.

" _I've learned so much while I waited for you, Kyo. May I please try more things with you? I want to keep making you feel good. After all, it's only fair to reciprocate what you do for me."_

What man could resist such an earnest and sincere plea? He did not truly require her to please him because making her time with him enjoyable was his way of repaying her for all that she did and all that she was. The pleasure he derived from her was every bit as psychological as it was physical for him. But he was captivated by her generosity and found himself nodding his permission.

Yuya. His sweet Yuya.

He couldn't have told her "no" even if he wanted to.

Such a beautiful and intimate memory was very much out of place on the battlefield but, as he and Hotaru closed in on each other once more, all he could think of was that the man in front of him sought to deprive him of the one person in his life he could fully open his heart to.

Weak! The fire-user threw that word around so much and he wouldn't deny that Yuya was his weakness but it only made him fight even harder to cover that vulnerability. No, she wasn't as strong as him physically but she didn't need to be. He already had enough friends and enemies who could brawl with the best of them. Rather, his wife's strength lay in her tenacity, her magnificence in her calm acceptance of the faults of others. Like a lone flower blooming on a crag, she clung to and drank in whatever life she could get ahold of and was all the more beautiful when surrounded by men like himself and his Generals who were damaged and hardened by the world around them.

Stupid Hotaru. He shouldn't have threatened to take her away from him. Shouldn't have spoken of things he knew nothing of. Shouldn't have taunted a man as possessive as Kyo.

As they fought, Kyo couldn't stop himself from smiling because his blood was singing and he could feel the darkness that dwelled within him rising, giving him more and more strength and increasing the level of his ki until even the tips of his hair were tingling. His awareness of everything around him sharpened, crystallizing into fine points as he took in information at an accelerated rate.

He knew the precise smell that preceded a fiery attack on Hotaru's part and blocked accordingly. He could hear how quickly the other man's heart was beating and knew that, despite his relatively calm face, the blonde was having to work harder. He could see the minute trembling in his opponent's limbs and knew that the power boost from his war paint was taking its toll.

Like the predator that he was, he knew that all he had to do was wait. An opening would be provided soon enough and he toyed with Hotaru, like a cat did with a mouse before either tearing off its head or maiming it and leaving it for dead. He wasn't quite sure which of the two fates he had in mind for his former "friend" but his grin stayed in place as they fought because the longer they went at it, the slower the other man's movements were to him.

He didn't doubt that the blonde was fighting his hardest - battle was one of the few things that Hotaru took seriously – but in the end, only the strongest would survive and the younger man did not have Kyo's strength. He didn't have the stamina or the ki reserves. He didn't have the ultimate fighting school at his disposal. And, most importantly, he didn't have anyone to fight for.

Hotaru wanted to get stronger all by himself and he would lose because of it. There were no idiot servants following him and maintaining a rivalry with him. There wasn't a constant stream of challengers lined up to take him on and push him harder. There wasn't a pretty blonde female with green eyes filled with love and desire waiting on the sidelines for him. No sweet mouth opened in invitation to join with his, to lick his teeth, and whisper words of desire. No pretty breasts to bury his face in and kiss and squeeze. In fact, he didn't think Hotaru even thought about sex outside of knowing that it had something to do with where babies came from.

While the other man fought hard in order to beat anyone he viewed as stronger than him, his goal could still be boiled down to eliminating all potential competitors and wrapping himself up in solitude at the end. In stark contrast, Kyo dreamed of being on top and being acknowledged as the best. Of endless nights spent entwined with his golden wife, who was both friend and lover - whispering words of love and lust, hopes and dreams. Of a legacy left to their children since he couldn't deny the appeal of procreating and leaving the most powerful physical proof of his existence for future generations.

His old companion had none of these things. He was an empty shell who tried to fill the void with battle and continuing on such a lonely course would only make him collapse in on himself in the end. Kyo knew because he had been following a similar course once upon a time, especially in those dark years leading up to his meeting with Yuya.

Even though he had gained new vulnerabilities by accepting her into his heart and life, he knew he was a better person for it. Constantly, he surpassed himself and what he believed he was capable of because so many of the things he did were for her sake. Her light kept his darkness at bay, kept him from crossing those lines that shouldn't be crossed and gave him the control to wrest his wicked nature into some semblance of order. To most people, including himself, he was a bad man, but when he drew on that inherent evil for _her_ sake, he felt validated in his use of the monstrous power that came with it.

That was the difference between the two fighters. Because Kyo had already acknowledged his weaknesses and found a way to overcome them and Hotaru hadn't, the fight had already been decided.

His opening came when he parried a blow aiming to disembowel him and Hotaru was just a split-second too slow to close the opening that followed his attack. With vicious glee, he stepped in and slashed the other man across his side, a matching blow for the wound he had given Hotaru earlier and he felt the edge of his sword connecting with flesh for a moment before Hotaru's body burned away and disappeared.

Sucking his teeth in disappointment, Kyo said, "The same move? Don't get boring on me, Hotaru."

No doubt the other man planned to reappear in a place that was unexpected but, unlike the previous time, Kyo tracked him easily and deflected the incoming blow with such force that his enemy stumbled backward and swayed slightly, clutching at the side where there was fresh blood seeping through.

 _'Yeah, that crap on his face is burning him out fast,'_ he thought to himself, closing in to deliver a fierce barrage of blows that drove Hotaru further and further back and forced him onto the defensive.

"So, what was that again about me being weak, Hotaru?" Kyo asked almost conversationally as he ducked beneath a pitiful swing and tagged Hotaru across the chest with a slash from right hip to the left side of his torso.

He truly enjoyed playing with his opponent. Amusing himself by metaphorically batting the other man from one paw to the other like the aforementioned feline with its prey. Unfortunately, his playtime couldn't go on indefinitely and Hotaru's white haori was stained with enough blood that it almost matched his red pants by the time Kyo decided to put an end to it.

Raising his sword high to deliver the killing blow, Kyo said mockingly, "You've gone so silent now. Where's that ranting about how weak I am? Where is this 'real power' you were supposed to be showing me? Where are those smart remarks about cutting down my woman to return me to the way I used to be?"

He kept his tone pleasant for the first two questions but his voice hardened on the last and his dark aura flared menacingly because there was no controlling the wrath that rose up in him at the thought of anyone having the balls to threaten his wife. That anger had carried him to this point and he'd see it through to the end until only one of them walked away. He met the other man's gaze and brought his sword down, intending to bring the fight to a conclusion in one stroke.

Of course, Hotaru was one of the Shiseiten - one of the four men hand-picked by Kyo himself and one of the chosen few he deemed worthy to have as rivals and subordinates. And he should have known that his old companion would have one more trick to play.

The silence that answered him should have been his first clue. The unnaturally cunning light that went on in those golden eyes, the second. The almost-warm smile that touched those thin lips, the third. For a moment, Hotaru looked like his old self with that soft, secretive grin he used to wear in the company of the other Generals, as if he were unwittingly enjoying himself even though he usually shunned the company of others.

For the first time since the battle had begun, his old friend looked as if he were genuinely having fun and in that fraction of a second, Kyo remembered what it had been like to travel with the other man and the rest of the Shiseiten. He remembered that, even though they had all separated and promised to fight each other to the death one day, they held a special meaning for him. Stupid, bumbling, idiots - the lot of them - but unstoppable when put together and it would be such a waste to kill one and deprive himself of witnessing that ludicrously overpowered quartet in motion once more.

He'd blame Yuya for it later - claim that perhaps she had softened him more than he'd believed and made him all nostalgic and merciful but his intent changed in that split-second from a desire to mete out death to a desire to see the old Hotaru in action along with the other Generals. The wish took root in him immediately and he slowed his sword just a hair but it was enough for his opponent to put whatever plan that had been brewing in that blonde head into play.

The shorter man dodged backwards, avoiding Kyo's blade as his ki spiked to dangerous levels and the Thousand Killer had a moment to wonder where he got the power from before glimpsing a hint of skin and a familiar curling pattern through Hotaru's tattered shirt.

 _'Don't tell me he painted this whole body,'_ Kyo thought in annoyance as his senses screamed at him to put distance between himself and his quarry immediately.

"I was saving this for Shinrei, but it looks like I have no choice if I want to beat you, Kyo," Hotaru said as the air around him shimmered and became super-heated to the point that a white aura appeared to engulf his body.

Within moments, he was giving off enough light to force Kyo to squint against the brightness and still his ki continued to rise and the older man realized that it was quite possible that Hotaru was cutting his own life short by pulling in far more power than he should have been capable of wielding at this point in the battle. There was so much ki that the ends of his opponent's hair were waving about as if a breeze were ruffling them.

Kyo started gathering his own ki in response, preparing to use Suzaku to put a stop to whatever suicidal move Hotaru was about to perform and it wasn't a moment too soon because black flames began to swirl around the edges of the sphere expanding outwards from the other man. Having been acquainted with that ominous blaze once, he knew that blocking it wasn't an option and he poured as much of his power into Tenrou as he could because the incoming attack would require him to meet it with greater force. His own hair waved to and fro as he pulled energy up from a place deep inside, taking as much as his body could give until such time as the opening he needed presented itself.

By the time he was ready, the orb around Hotaru was pitch black and all he could see of the other man was a dim light where his aura burned in contrast to the hell-spawned flames surrounding him and licking across the ground like black serpents.

"Let's finish this!" his opponent yelled, "Hell Crusher!"

The black sphere rippled and crackled before expanding outward with explosive fury, shooting out tongues of soul-searing black fire that lashed to and fro, heedless of anything in their way and seeking only to devour everything they touched. The heat and pressure were at a level that would have been incomprehensible if he weren't facing it down himself and Kyo forced himself to stand his ground, refusing to be pushed back although the gate didn't fare so well and cracks began to show on its red lacquered surface.

Instead he waited until the last minute before raising his sword, flaring out his own aura, and yelling out, "Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu Suzaku!"

With the brilliance and color of the setting sun, Suzaku rose and shrieked its fury towards his opponent, spreading majestic wings that dwarfed the courtyard in front of the gate and flapping once, then twice to redirect the burning black tendrils that sought it out. There was a gasp behind him as his companions watched the two powers about to collide and then he was moving along with his Suzaku, following in its wake and using the aura it provided to slow Hotaru's attack enough to dodge the wild flames it was shooting out in all directions.

"There's no way your flame will beat mine!" he heard Hotaru shout and he smirked because he didn't intend to for Suzaku to conquer that black flame, only to provide the opening he needed.

Once it was past the snake-like tongues of fire that rose off of the sphere, his glorious fire-bird connected with the body of the ball and the two conflicting ki's struggled for dominance, each halting the advance of the other until, with a mournful cry, his Suzaku dissipated at the same time the aura sphere shattered.

It was the gap he was looking for and he didn't hesitate to take advantage of Hotaru's momentary exposure. While his old friend tried to regain his footing from the backlash of having his strongest attack stalled out, Kyo moved in and caught him along his side, drawing a deep gash and driving him to his knees. He didn't press his advantage, hoping the fool would have the sense to stay down, but this was Hotaru he was talking about - the man was as tenacious as a cockroach.

A wet cough sounded behind him and Kyo half-turned to take in the pitiful sight of Hotaru with a single, assessing red eye. Upon seeing that Kyo wasn't following up his attack with another, the other man glowered and raised his sword high, obviously intending to keep the fight alive.

"I won't lose to you, Kyo! Don't you go easy on me now! I won't accept your pity!" the former General spat, stepping towards the Thousand Killer with his weapon at the ready.

Kyo merely raised a brow at his show of spirit and graced him with a toothy grin as he replied, "Pity? I think you've forgotten who I am. I'm Demon Eyes Kyo, the Thousand Killer. I don't even know the meaning of the word."

He ended it with a laugh and it was more than Hotaru could take. He scowled and charged towards Kyo, intent on picking up where he'd left off. However, the older man didn't budge an inch because he knew that the fight was already over and all he needed to do was wait. His laughter took on a wilder edge as the blonde froze halfway between his original position and Kyo's and his sword arm fell to his side slackly as he tilted his head up at the sky and stared at the figure wheeling overhead.

"Funny thing about Suzaku," Kyo said mildly, as if he were imparting a bit of sage advice to his former friend, "It never truly dies. Like all phoenixes, it always arises from its ashes.

Hauntingly beautiful and impossibly fierce, the god of fire descended upon Hotaru, who could only stand there and do nothing because he had already burned himself out. With a trilling cry and a fiery plume that rose up in shades of brilliant gold and crimson, the phoenix enfolded the other fighter in its wings at the same time Kyo closed in to deliver his final stroke, cutting a long line across his torso as he was immolated by the burning bird.

As Suzaku faded away, Hotaru fell backwards and hit the ground hard, staring up at Kyo with wide eyes as his mouth worked to speak. He gurgled a bit since he was, doubtless, bleeding internally and Kyo waited for him because the outcome was clear for all to see and he was feeling lenient. The battle was truly over. His victory was glorious.

The blonde groaned and moved his limbs with aching slowness until he could get his hands beneath him and push his body upwards until he was sitting on his behind and wheezing from the effort.

"My, my, what admirable effort for a man who's mostly dead," Kyo said, "Don't tell me you want to have another go at me. Or will you finally admit that I'm right and you're wrong on what makes a man strong?"

Those golden eyes glinted and his mouth worked silently until he spat out a glob of blood on the ground and rasped, "Finish me off already, Kyo."

 _'Stubborn to the bitter end,'_ Kyo thought with a smirk as he brought his sword down to rest on Hotaru's shoulder, tilting the sharp edge so that it lay against his neck.

"If it's death you want, I'll give you a fitting end," he said and Hotaru smiled slightly, closed his eyes, and hung his head.

He waited just long enough for the other man to start wondering when the killing blow would land before bending down, extending his free hand and flicking Hotaru sharply across the forehead. It was hard enough that, with his superhuman strength, it managed to snap the blonde's head back and provided him with the priceless sight of Hotaru staring at him with a dumbfounded expression and a rapidly reddening bruise next to his hairline. Kyo couldn't help it, he burst out laughing as he stood tall once more and walked off to grab Tenrou's sheath.

It took a second or two but once the pain had fully registered, the other man groaned and clapped a hand to his new injury as he demanded crossly, "What was that for? I thought you were going to kill me."

"Oh no, you don't get off that easily. Since you asked me to end your life, that means it belongs to me now and I own you. Don't feel too bad, your brother is already my servant and the same goes for the woman you were waving your sword at."

Yuya made an annoyed sound at being categorized as a servant and he decided to soften the blow by adding, "Ah, but her role puts her way above you in authority and is a far more pleasurable one."

His wife groaned in mortification and covered her face with her hands while Kyoshiro blushed and Akari snickered.

"Besides, I still need you to fill me in about my kids and you haven't admitted your mistake, yet."

"Mistake?" Hotaru looked truly puzzled now, and he scratched his head as he tried to jimmy loose the rusty gears that ran his thoughts.

"Don't hurt yourself now, idiot" Kyo said after the other man spent a full minute trying to put two and two together.

Sighing because he knew the blonde's gears were more likely to grind to a halt than produce the correct answer, he said at last, "I want you to get it through your head that real strength doesn't require you to be alone. Yeah, you can do stuff by yourself but a truly great man has assassins who come after him, servants to do his bidding, and gorgeous women to throw themselves at him. Although..." he scratched his chin and shot a look at his "women".

His fangirls consisted of an incredibly masculine, albeit beautiful, crossdresser and his short mate who was more pretty than beautiful.

"...I think I have to work on the gorgeous part for my women," he continued with a smirk that he knew would get beneath his wife's skin and Akari clapped a hand to his cheek and tittered while Yuya glared, kicked off one of her zori, and lobbed it at him.

He dodged her footwear easily and it bypassed him to clock Hotaru square in the head. The other man didn't move for a second and Kyo wondered if the "attack" had even registered until he tapped the bottom of his right fist against his left palm as if the hit had jarred something loose.

Scratching his head absently, Hotaru said, "So if I follow you, it'll be like the old days?"

"With some exceptions. Like not killing my wife and understanding that my level of awesome is far superior to yours."

The blonde frowned and asked, "But what about that weird feeling I get whenever I think about spending time with you, Bon, and the rest?"

He jerked his thumb at his chest and Kyo blanched at the idea of having to explain Hotaru's own feelings to him. Fortunately, his wife, sensing the imminent addition of another friend, took a tiny step forward and rescued him from discussing anything emotional by saying gently, "I think it comes from remembering how much you enjoyed spending time with the other Generals."

The fire-user turned his head to stare at her and Kyo could see her visibly swallowing under the force of those cold golden eyes before she continued, "I heard what Kyo said during your fight, that you were always smiling when you were with him and everyone else. Even if you viewed them as rivals or potential enemies, could you have been happy with people you didn't like?"

Yuya couldn't have known it, but she was asking all the right questions. Hotaru was emotionless most of the time, rocking a blank expression no matter what happened around him, and alternately obtuse and blunt to the point that you often wanted to wring his neck. But he couldn't fake a smile because he didn't understand the social niceties of putting the people around him at ease by feigning happiness or kindness. When he grinned, it was because he couldn't control the natural response to something that pleased. And that tiny smirk was how the rest of them had known the moment he went from being a tagalong warrior to a real companion.

The silence stretched on for so long and Hotaru's face was so unreadable that he could see his wife squirming beneath his intense regard until the other man replied, "You aren't wrong."

"My head always hurt whenever I thought about the others but this feeling...isn't bad I think. When I close my eyes, I can see Bon laughing, Akira being a baby, and Toukichirou being weird," Akari made a displeased sound at the use of his real name.

"And Kyo..." he paused for a long moment before continuing softly,"Kyo made me want to get strong enough to take on the world."

His eyes took on a faraway look and Kyo didn't question whatever miracle was allowing him to reminisce as far back as he clearly was. Hotaru could only be bothered to remember things that were important to him and it was very telling that he could still recall their exploits together even after eight years.

If he hadn't been staring so intently at that dispassionate face, he might have missed the slight upward movement of the left corner of his mouth. But he catch it he did and he knew that all was well.

Hotaru only confirmed it by nodding and saying to Yuya, "I don't hate you anymore, Kyo's Wife. He's stronger now than before."

"Oh...that's very nice of you," his wife replied with an uncertain smile because she didn't know how to react to such a direct statement.

Hotaru looked inordinately pleased with himself before he attempted to stand and sat back down immediately, staring down at the mincemeat Kyo had made of his torso and saying, "I'm bleeding."

After making his obvious statement, he cast his gaze about and looked at Akari who was staring at him with the sly look he wore whenever he knew someone needed his help and that fresh secrets were incoming.

"Can you heal me, Toukichirou?" the blonde asked innocently and Akari made an aggravated sound in the back of his throat.

"Stop calling me that. It's Akari. A-K-A-R-I," he spelled it out, "How in the world can you not remember that? It has fewer syllables than the other name."

Hotaru simply gave him a blank look and shrugged before saying, "So you won't heal me? Don't be so cheap, Toukichirou."

Kyo stepped out of the way as the shaman's face turned red and he marched over to the injured man and kicked him in the stomach without missing a beat before growling, "Not until you call me 'Akari-Sama' and pay the usual fee. One secret in exchange for healing you and it better be a juicy one or I'll kick you again for wasting my time."

The Thousand Killer, deciding that there were some battles it was best to remove himself from, chuckled and plucked Yuya's discarded shoe from the ground before heading over to see his wife.

"Your friends are...interesting," Kyoshiro said in passing and Kyo grunted in response since he'd gotten used to them forever ago.

"Also," the former assassin began and Kyo paused, sensing that he had something important to say for once.

"You've gotten a lot stronger, Kyo. You're progressing well in the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school and I really hope you learn everything there is to know about it before you face the king."

Something about his voice was disconcerting and the older man stared into those intent blue eyes as he asked suspiciously, "What are you hiding from me, Kyoshiro?"

"I...nothing. It's just that I know you need to complete it if you want to take on the king. The entire purpose of the school was always to kill the former Crimson King and the only person who can do that is you. Muramasa believed it and so do I."

"And what about you?" Kyo asked, narrowing his eyes on that pale face and noting that he still looked unwell, "Where will you be when I fight the king? I didn't bring this crew of people with me for my health and I always figured you would take any chance handed to you to save Sakuya."

"I would and I will," Kyoshiro replied, "but please understand that I can only oppose him so far because of what I am."

Kyo wanted to probe him further but the other man's hands were clenching so hard and his body language screamed "obstinate" loud enough for him to realize that he wouldn't get the answers he sought at this time. All he could do was keep an eye out for strange behavior and hope that they made it out alive at the end of the day.

Shaking his head, he moved past the younger man and stepped up to his wife who was balancing herself lopsidedly on her single shoe. Hooking a finger through the strap of her orphaned zori, he dangled it out to her and she smiled sheepishly as she reached for it.

"Thanks Kyo," she said, "I'm sorry for losing my temper and throwing it at you. I think it was the leftover excitement from watching you battle and worrying over your safety."

"Hmm," he said non-committally before unceremoniously yanking the sandal out of her reach.

"Come on, Kyo. I apologized, didn't I?" she said, reaching for the shoe again but he jerked it upwards, forcing her to go up on tiptoes to try and get it.

After hopping slightly to try and snag her footwear from her much taller spouse, she finally sat back on her heels, folded her arms across her chest and glowered at him.

She was so cute when she was angry and he smirked before he decided to stop teasing her and bent down with her shoe in hand. Discerning his intent, she stuck her foot out and he was happy that she refrained from kicking him when he slipped her zori on.

"Honestly, that was completely unnecessary," she groused and stiffened when he ran a hand up the back of her calf.

"Stop fussing, woman, you can handle a little joke. Besides, it's better than the alternative," he said in a low voice, dancing his fingers further up her leg until he could slip them beneath the hem of her kimono in invitation.

Behind him, Kyoshiro cleared his throat loudly to remind him that he was still there and Kyo turned slightly to shoot him a look that said the other man could either move his butt or watch the show. His old friend opted for the former, leaving him alone to flirt with his wife.

Yuya, on the other hand, was staring at him with eyes that shifted from passionate to modest and back again and she bit her lip as she tried to puzzle him out before asking softly, "I can already guess what the alternative is, but why now?"

"Do you remember the old days, when we were first running together? Do you remember what I liked to do after a battle?"

She blushed because there was no way she could forget. After a hard fight, it was almost guaranteed that she was getting her breasts squeezed and their first kiss had been after a fight as well.

Nodding shyly, she replied, "It was...something."

He chuckled and withdrew his hands before standing and resting them on her hips so that he could pull her closer as he said, "Yes, it was. And I had forgotten how closely entwined battlelust and real lust are. Call it a way of bringing myself down from the high of a good fight but I find myself in need of...you."

To punctuate his statement, he slipped his hands lower so that he could give her bottom a good squeeze and she responded by nestling up against him and asking huskily, "And what did you need from me, Kyo?"

"Now who's teasing whom, woman?" he murmured, "Don't think I've forgotten that watching me fight gets you excited too. I saw the way you looked at me when I was about to fight Hotaru that second time. Question is, do I find a private spot to test that out or do I save it for later?"

Yuya's eyes were practically luminous with need but her smile was regretful as she said, "As tempting as that is, we really can't, Kyo. Now isn't the time, not when we have kids to save. But we'll have plenty of time after and I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Her confidence in him was as wonderful as always and he reluctantly returned her smile because at least one of them needed to think with the organs above the waist and she was correct. Time _was_ of the essence but, he smoothed his fingers longingly over her derriere, he _really_ enjoyed touching her and she smelled wonderful, positively edible in fact. While he debated the pros and cons and loosening the ties of her kimono so that he could get a tiny sample of her charms to tide him over, the decision was taken out of his hands completely by an outside interruption.

"Are you two about to have sex?" a mellow voice asked and Kyo and Yuya turned as one to stare at Hotaru in shock.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Aww, no nookie for Kyo but it just isn't the time or the place. And yes, "mostly dead" was my nod to "The Princess Bride" because that movie is awesome. Still, why is it that Hotaru only really articulates himself well on the battlefield? It's like he just can't be bothered any other time. =) Ah well, more fun times coming up. Hotaru starts a bit of mischief and Saisei and Saishi show up soon. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	31. Fatherly Concerns and Clever Spies

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Glad I could make you laugh and that the battle was on point for you too.), **magicalnana** (Nope, Ryu's not following Saisei. She directed him towards Taihaku for a reason. However, that doesn't mean he won't show up soon enough. I have an extra special thanks for you because you always ask about Ryu and you really lit a fire under me.), **DebyMU** (I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter. Hotaru has horrible timing but I forgive him because he makes me laugh. Kyo always struck me as a sort of big brother to Akira and Hotaru and I like that he cares for all of his Generals in his own way), **kyoandyuya** (I dunno. Most of my friends growing up were guys and some of them really do get obsessive with their rivalries with other guys. I think Hotaru and Shinrei take sibling rivalry to serious levels but that makes watching them fighting together so much fun. Still Hotaru has the worst timing ever. Sorry for the belated reply on doing a oneshot but I don't really have the extra time and vampires aren't really my thing. I still think you should try your hand at writing since you have so many interesting ideas. Don't worry so much about how good or bad you are and worry about writing the story you want to convey. A lot of fanfiction writing is practice and being able to refine your style.), **emi21** (I'm going to try really hard to include that scene when Hotaru's eye turns red because that was absolutely hilarious and a perfect example of his massive rivalry with his brother. I'm glad you enjoy the way I write Yuya, I love her character so much and it's fun to show how she has matured from where she was in Midori no Me. Also, thanks for catching that mistake, it's fixed now.), **Rinfantasy** (Hotaru is so blunt and airheaded that I can't resist the chance to have all sorts of fun with him. His interactions with Akari and Shinrei are some of my favorite bits), **lmamc** (Oblivious, thy name is Hotaru. Lol.), **Animallover** (Hmm, that's actually a sound theory as to why Hotaru's brain only kicks in when he fight. ;-) As for Fairytail, when I get around to looking into it more, I always go for the manga first as it's almost always guaranteed to be better and more fleshed out than the anime. The two exceptions to that rule are Brigadoon and Princess Tutu. I don't get involved in ship-wars because it's not worth the time but thanks for the heads up. I understand the conflict well since I write Sess/Rin and there was enough drama there because opponents against the pairing couldn't get it through their heads that almost no one is going out of their way to ship them together when she is still a child except for a very small group.), **Azure** (I can go along with Hotaru articulating during battle because it's the only thing he's really interested in. It was fun to watch him develop as a person after his fight with Kyo and realize that it's nice to have friends. In fact, I feel he actually gained a few points in maturity over his brother. The only thing I have a hard time doing with him is picturing him in any kind of romantic capacity since he's so dense. It would take a woman who really understands him well to put up with that airheadedness.), **J Luc Pitard** (Hotaru won't be fighting again for a bit to give him a little more recovery time but I didn't want to leave him behind either. I'm still deciding if I'll have him symbolically cross out his tattoo or not. Either way, I'm happy you liked the chapter and I'll do my best to keep Kyo from fighting all of his friends. That would stretch this fic out even more. ;P), **Azure Shine** (Well, Tenryo is trying to contact Kyo but he isn't listening yet. Don't worry, he'll meet the wolf and the First King as well eventually.)

 **Author's note:** Since I got so many comments on it and my responses to you all would sound the same, I just wanted to say an extra "thank you" to everyone who liked my portrayal of Hotaru. I wanted him to be enjoyable and I'm happy that the mission was accomplished. =)

Also, I had to do some hard thinking because I was dangerously close to running into writer's block and it occurred to me that if I only stuck to the manga order of fights against the Five Stars, it would be really boring and unnecessarily drawn out since that isn't the meat of this fic. I've been going around and around on Kyo's family and him meeting his kids and I'm just as ready for that to happen as the rest of you. Thus, I decided to take advantage of the fact that the order in which Kyo fought was supposed to be random (remember they played Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who got which gate) and there's a little treat at the end of this chapter for everyone who has been so patient. ^_^

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

 **Fatherly Concerns and Clever Spies**

Kyo glared at Hotaru, who was crouched next to them on his ridiculously tall geta with his sword on the ground by his feet. His elbows were braced on his thighs and he had his chin resting in his hands as he observed them with curious eyes. Akari had obviously worked his magic because there wasn't a hint of pain on his face.

Yuya let out a tiny squeak of embarrassment and quickly backed away from her husband with flaming cheeks while Kyo maintained his hard look and said, "What I do with my woman is none of your business."

That blonde head tilted to the side in genuine confusion as he asked, "Why not? Isn't that how you made Mini-Kyo and Girl-Kyo in the first place? Doesn't everyone know by now that you've done it before?"

The last question was unworthy of an answer but the second one got their full attention and Yuya forgot all about her humiliation as she stepped closer to the airheaded warrior and asked, "Are you, talking about my children, Hotaru-San?"

He gave her a blank stare that lasted a full ten seconds before he processed what she was asking and replied to the question.

"Yeah, Mini-Kyo looks just like Kyo and Girl-Kyo looks like what would happen if I had a kid with Kyo," Kyo refused to entertain the image Hotaru painted of a girl who was a cross between both of them since the very idea was nauseating.

"But," those golden eyes peered at Yuya closely and he said, "I guess her face looks a lot like yours except her eyes are Kyo's. Squinty, like this," he used the tips of his index fingers on either hand to pull at the corners of his eyelids and make his narrow eyes even smaller. The Thousand Killer refrained from rolling his own eyes because Hotaru's were just as thin as his and the childish gesture only made him picture his daughter with a Benitora-esque expression.

"I think I get the idea," he said, trying not to let his aggravation show. Hotaru was ruining the previous mental picture he had of his little girl and it felt like everyone had either seen one or both of his children except him.

"So where are they now?" Kyo asked with a sigh.

"Probably with Shinrei."

"And...where is he? What is he doing with them?" this came from Yuya in a hesitant voice and Kyo knew that she was really asking if they were alright. However, subtlely didn't fit into Hotaru's brain and his answer reflected his woeful inability to relate to the concerns of normal people.

"Dunno," the blonde shrugged his shoulders and stood up before continuing, "but he's always fussing over Mini-Kyo and Girl-Kyo. He says they're twins but they don't look the same and he kicked me when I tried to make sure he was telling the truth about Girl-Kyo being a real girl. I thought she might be in drag, like Toukichirou."

He furrowed his brow at the end of his recitation, as if unwinding the mystery of fraternal twins and finding out if Aiko were really a girl would unlock the meaning of life.

Deciding that he didn't want to know how Hotaru had planned to verify his daughter's gender, Kyo said, "Well, that sounds like a conversation that is just stupid enough for me to give it a pass. I think it's time we got a move on. I still have a few words to exchange with your brother for holding out on me about my brats."

"Whatever," Hotaru mumbled as he turned and wandered off a few steps before pausing and looking back at him as he said, "But you might have to fight him again for them. They _really_ like him and Girl-Kyo is always chasing Shinrei around like he's her boyfriend."

The Thousand Killer immediately tensed up at that disturbing bit of information and he glared at Hotaru, who stared back at him with eyes that weren't quite blank enough to hide the mischievous glint in them.

He opened his mouth to demand a clarification of the other man's statement, thought better of it, and instead asked, "Who's waiting for us at the next gate?"

A slight look of disappointment flashed across the blonde's face before he replied, "Dunno about that either. We picked our order by playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and I won first go, though I did cheat."

There wasn't a speck of remorse in his voice about deceiving the other Goyosei members - in fact, he looked downright proud of himself. Behind him, he heard Yuya mutter a soft "shameless," but her tone was more amused than anything else.

If anyone were waiting for Hotaru to discover the meaning of the word "embarrassment", they'd be waiting until the world ended because it just wasn't going to happen. Hotaru was what he was and you either accepted that he was a force of nature who did his own thing or drove yourself crazy trying to get him to fit into a specific box. For some reason, he had a feeling that the younger man's rigid half-brother fell into the latter category and that it was part of the reason for the enmity between the two.

 _'Speaking of whom...,'_ Kyo frowned as he stalked towards the gate, trusting his companions to follow through.

He didn't like Hotaru's observations about the relationship between his children and the silver-haired man. Whether or not he needed to kill the other warrior was still up in the air but he didn't look forward to having to go through his own offspring to settle things between them once and for all.

 _"Girl-Kyo is always chasing Shinrei around like he's her boyfriend."_

That comment, in particular, didn't sit well with him. He _knew_ that the other man was attempting to use him to play a nasty joke on his brother. But the words kept playing themselves over and over in his head and he could hear his late-night conversation about prospective marriage mates with Yuya and Akari's dire warning that Hishigi was not above using their child in breeding experiments.

While he hated the idea of anyone touching either of his children with ill intent, there was an extra level of worry that came with thoughts of his daughter in danger. He couldn't explain it. Distorted mental image of her or not, all he could think of was his little girl in the hands of cold men like Hishigi and Shinrei. The former had even less of a conscience than he did and the latter had a form of honor that didn't necessarily prevent him from following whatever crooked orders the Taishirou handed down to him.

Like a recurring nightmare, he saw the water-user pressing his lips to Yuya's in a deadly kiss. He saw Shinrei sparring with him for years without telling him the truth. He saw himself fighting the man and defeating him while a nearly imperceptible ki danced along the edge of his senses. There was no comfort to be found in Hotaru's statement about his brother's protective attitude towards his children because the man couldn't be trusted to oppose his superiors if they wanted to experiment on the twins. And as for Hishigi...Kyo knew from first-hand experience that the ancient warrior's emotions had long since been torn out and trampled beneath his feet. There would be no kindness from that quarter.

The longer he dwelled on it, the more wound up he became and it was only the light touch of his wife's fingers to the back of his hand that gave him a measure of calm. He shifted his gaze to look at her and she slid her digits down until she could work them beneath his in a silent entreaty for him to hold her hand, which he did.

"I'm sure they'll be alright," she said gently, although he could tell that she was trying to reassure herself of that fact as much as him.

Kyo wanted to snark at her, tell her that she had no basis for that statement but he knew it would be unkind. She was only trying to help and she had more years as a parent under her belt than he did, she knew how resilient their daughter while he didn't know either of his offspring. He wasn't the type to rage at the hand fate dealt him but it all seemed incredibly unfair somehow.

 _"Girl-Kyo is always chasing Shinrei around like he's her boyfriend."_

 _He_ should be the person his daughter followed around and relied upon. Not the people who had thoroughly rejected him and stolen her away from her home. And certainly not a man who was the very embodiment of Mibu arrogance. A man who had started his family down the path to disaster four years prior. The thought of Aiko forming _any_ attachment to the silver-haired warrior was nigh unbearable at best and infuriating at worst.

In some part of his mind, he knew that he was stewing and that Hotaru had absolutely said what he did in order to make things even harder on his hated sibling. As dense as the blonde was, he was actually quite good at playing pranks and he was so hard to read that he usually got away with them. Kyo understood him well enough to know that he was getting played but, in truth, that knowledge didn't do much for him when he thought of his children potentially choosing someone else over him.

Yuya's hand squeezed his and it brought to mind the last time he'd felt so angry and resentful. It was back in Edo when his wife first met Akira and he had saved her from men who were intent on doing her harm. Kyo had hated the fact that someone else had been there for his future wife even though he was still fighting his feelings for her at the time. His jealousy had eaten away at him then just as it was now and it bothered him that he should feel anything of the sort towards Shinrei and his dealings with the twins.

He was used to feeling possessive towards his wife but there was an extra layer to it when his son and daughter were added to the mix. They were _his_ family. _His_ responsibility. _His_ claim to humanity. They belonged _to_ him and _with_ him.

For so long, he'd been alone until he had Yuya to love him so that he could learn how to love in return. She was his and he was hers and when he was with her, he wasn't just the child with no past and no parents who had been plucked from Aokigahara. How could he not long to touch the proof of their union with his own hands? To see their children with his own eyes? To hear a small voice acknowledge him as a father? He didn't think much of his ability to raise children but that wouldn't stop him from giving it a try and continuing on in the course he'd set by marrying Yuya - the only woman he loved and the first woman he'd ever made love to.

His only hope was that he hadn't made a terrible mistake in leaving Shinrei alive after their last battle. And that the glimmers of honor he'd seen in the other man would keep his children safe until he could retrieve them.

 _'This crap just keeps getting more and more complicated,'_ he thought to himself, feeling weighed down and irritable as he passed through the first gate and set his feet on the path to the next one.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We're almost to the second gate," Okuni said softly and Bon sighed in relief upon hearing that they were making good progress along the ridiculously long stretch between one gate and the next.

He had expected to run into further opposition once his group made it past Hotaru's gate but the way remained clear. Was it a trap? Probably. But he was fine with having to dodge pitfalls versus dealing with an endless army of Mibu soldiers. Of course, he enjoyed fighting strong opponents as much as the next person but - he flicked a glance towards the woman running next to him - the thought of his pretend wife being in danger just didn't sit well with him. Logically, he knew that she was quite capable of handling herself, but that didn't stop him from worrying about her.

 _'Oh, how the mighty have fallen,'_ he thought to himself.

Sometime between the discovery of Okuni's status as a Mibu spy, his recommendation for her to make herself scarce, and her sudden reappearance at his home in Sendai, she had turned the tables on him. What had started out as a bit of a game for him to keep her on her toes and out of Kyo and Yuya's hair had become something else entirely. Akira liked to mock him whenever he had the chance about how he was allowing a woman to bring him to his knees and that he'd wind up like Kyo if he wasn't careful but Bon couldn't see a way out of his dilemma.

His men adored her for her poise and beauty. The people who had accepted him as their de-facto leader – though it was legitimate now that the Shogun himself had given the entire province over to him – loved her as well. And because her information network was incredibly useful for giving them an edge in commerce, they were all prospering quite well. To all appearances, she was the perfect wife. Charming, gorgeous, well-connected, intelligent, talented in any number of the arts, and the list went on and on.

The only problem was that _he_ hadn't asked _her_ for any of it. He hadn't asked her to show up and claim him as her husband. He hadn't asked her to charm her way through his ranks until his men made fools of themselves trying to please her. And he hadn't asked her to flirt as outrageously with him as she did.

Akira liked to disparage her as Kyo's leftovers but Bon didn't particularly care about that part of her past. He was hardly a saint - there were some brothels where _all_ of the women knew him by name - and Okuni wasn't the sort of woman who just slept with any man who looked her way.

It had taken him a while to put two and two together but he had realized that, while her feelings for Kyo were real on some level, her role as a seductress was a mask more than anything. Yes, it was a necessity in her job as a spy but she was a master at enslaving men and extracting the information she required from them without ever showing them anything more than a bit of cleavage. The promise of sex was always there but it was never delivered and yet, the men around her fell all over themselves, hoping they would be the one to lay lustful hands on the raven-haired vixen.

She was a terrifying woman in her own right, with a feminine power that was distilled to a level far beyond most females and honed to a fine point. All of the weapons that the Gods had seen fit to bestow upon woman-kind were in her hands and she wielded them with a finesse that invoked blistering jealousy in other women and drooling adulation in men.

He could see why Kyo's rejection of her had turned her bitter and why he himself had rubbed her the wrong way in those first few days of their acquaintance. The Thousand Killer hadn't pined after her the way she did for him and had ground salt into the wound by choosing a mere girl, who had neither her looks nor her fighting ability, as his mate. And Bon irritated her because he hadn't fallen all over her the way most men, especially the not-so-handsome ones like him, did.

Part of his immunity to her lay in his knowledge that she had deliberately set out to ruin the relationship between Kyo and Yuya. The former had enough on his plate at the time and the latter was a true innocent. The other part lay in his natural distrust of powerful women. It came from having a mother who not only hated him but had actually tried to assassinate him and, in his experience, women like her and Okuni enjoyed plotting and weren't to be trusted. Unfortunately, his pretend wife made it hard for him to remember that.

Truthfully, he hadn't expected to see the beautiful spy again and he certainly hadn't expected her to turn the full power of her charm on him of all people once she did show up. Over the past few years, he'd gotten a chance to see her in action, to see how easily she got men to do her bidding and the level of control she had seized over his life. The noose of matrimony was tightening around his neck even without the two of them going through the ceremony that would join them together in truth. She had boxed him in with nothing more than looks and sheer brilliance and he had to admit that he had never known such a formidable foe or as brilliant a tactician.

Some days, he wondered if it were worth it to hold onto his singleness so tightly. He fought her tooth and nail but he was getting older and he was no longer landless nobility, he was Date Masamune and a proper lord again. Bon wanted to push her away, distrust her, be free and all that fun stuff but freedom was looking a little lonely these days.

In his head he knew she was dangerous, but his heart and body saw a stunning woman with a chocolate gaze that was warm and wanting whenever it fell on him. The course of wisdom would be to send her away, repudiate her publicly and settle down with a normal woman to pop out a few heirs - he still couldn't believe Kyo had beaten him on that score - but he felt weird whenever he contemplated it. Somehow, he knew that rejecting her would hurt both of them and the words just wouldn't make it past his lips.

As he listened to the light footsteps keeping pace with his, he realized that she might have trapped him, but he wasn't really fighting that hard anymore and he was unsure if that were a good or bad thing.

Perhaps fate was mocking him because, as the gate rose up before them, a tiny gasp of alarm sounded. The woman in question pitched forward as the ground gave way beneath her feet, opening up into a hole that yawned widely to swallow her up as well as Sasuke and Akira who were following her. The latter two threw themselves backwards in time and he didn't even think before reacting. The moment she disappeared from view, he reached in after her with incredible speed and caught her around the middle before she could fall more than a couple of feet.

She tilted her head back and blinked up at him in shock for a moment or two before her well-formed lips curled into a smile and she said, "Why, thank you, darling."

Bon grunted at her pet name for him and got annoyed at himself because the bottoms of her generous breasts were resting across his forearm and his body was reacting accordingly. He liked a pair of boobs as much as the next red-blooded man and, even clothed, she had a darn fine set.

 _'And they could be yours if you just gave in,'_ his mind whispered to him as he hauled her up and out of the hole before setting her on her feet and putting some distance between the two of them.

She dusted herself off slowly, as if she hadn't a care in the world, before folding her arms across her impressive bosom and saying, "You know, you could have let me fall and it would solve all of your problems. Granted, it would take more than a simple pitfall to put an end to me but that's neither here nor there."

Benitora let out a chuckle and said, "She's got you there, Bon-Han."

Akira simply sniffed and said, "Such a sentimental weakling."

Sasuke said nothing, simply shrugged and skirted around the hole before heading for the next gate once more since it was none of his business. Mahiro looked from Bon to Okuni and back again with a thoughtful expression before casting a surreptitious glance towards Tora and following her fellow ninja.

Bon ran a hand through his hair, sighed heavily and marched off after them, silently cursing bold spies with generous cleavage and nefarious designs on his well-guarded bachelorhood.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _'This is too much fun,'_ Okuni thought to herself as she followed her companions to the next checkpoint.

She had originally tracked Bon down at Sendai to have a little bit of revenge on him for his treatment of her. Her intent hadn't been to hurt him exactly, more to give him a taste of the sense of helplessness that he engendered in her. It had been a simple plan born out of her lack of a clear goal once she left Muramasa's house.

For so long, she'd nursed a half-crush and half-grudge against Kyo. It was what had sent her running to the Mibu in the first place and why she had taken up the mantle of "Indara" of the Juunishinshou. And yet, after reporting her findings to the Mibu soldier sent to debrief her after the events with Shinrei at the former Elder's house, her heart just hadn't been in it.

Bon had witnessed her treachery and yet, instead of killing her – something she did not doubt he was more than powerful enough to do - he sent her away. On the surface it was because she obviously couldn't be trusted now that her status as a spy was out in the open but she also knew that he was protecting her the way he did everyone else in Kyo's group. Looking at the way Kyo behaved with his now wife, she knew for a fact that her former lover would have killed her if he thought she posed any sort of threat to Yuya.

Thus, after leaving she had taken to wandering for a bit, working her way through the resentment that Bon had so often accused her of nursing while simultaneously working her way across the countryside and cities of Nippon. All summons to return to the clan were ignored and the few times that people were sent to retrieve her, she made sure that there weren't enough pieces left to identify the bodies. Meanwhile, she comforted herself with the knowledge that, even though Kyo was well and truly out of her reach, she was still beautiful, powerful and free to do as she wished now that she had cut her ties to the clan.

It should have been enough to be left to own devices but it wasn't. She wasn't content to be by herself and she didn't want to grow old all alone. Though she smiled and flirted during the day, basking in the attention that she had always believed to be her due, at night she was haunted by a very specific memory. When she closed her eyes, she could remember strong, muscular arms holding her in a secure embrace and a rough voice offering to comfort her because he couldn't stand to see a woman cry.

Only _he_ knew her secret shame, her insecurity as well as her aching loneliness and longing for someone who would never be hers. It had taken her a while to admit that he was right to call her bitter and even longer for her to decide to seek him out. On the surface, it was to get back at him for being right – she really hated it when any man got the best of her – but in her heart, she wanted those powerful arms again. She wanted that deep voice and maybe, just maybe those ridiculously shapely lips too.

It had been so easy to take over his household and install herself as his wife. She understood the opposite sex well enough to know what to do and say to render null and void any protest Bontenmaru might make against her takeover. Her years as a spy served her well also. She had made her pretend husband a very wealthy man in addition to what he had already accrued since he was surprisingly astute in business matters himself.

To be honest, her interference in his life had only been meant to serve as a prank of sorts to relieve her boredom and give her a purpose but the more she found out about Bon, the more she lingered. Originally she planned to disappear after a while and leave him be once she had forced him to acknowledge her strength and allowed him a small taste of what she could accomplish when she put her mind to it.

The problem was that Bon was Bon.

Okuni could mock his looks. She could look down on his tendency to think with his heart over his head. Really, the man had all sorts of flaws and she had a mental list of all of them saved up. But, there was no one else like him. His level of charisma was ludicrous for a man who was, by most standards, ugly. No matter how much he protested her interference, he treated her gently and never exercised his right to throw her out. Even if she had been his real wife, he could cast her off and no one would have been able to do anything about it.

To a woman who was used to men trying to take advantage of her because she was only a pretty face and a voluptuous body, his kindness was an anomaly and she found herself appreciating more and more his lenience towards her. It didn't take long for her little charade to turn into a genuine effort to carve out a niche and a life for herself and she could just see contentment poking its head around the corner. She liked Bontenmaru's subordinates even though they were a rowdy bunch and the people of his domain were becoming her people.

Bon wanted the Date clan to be on top and she worked to give him his heart's desire because she wanted _him_. It was why she had insured that word of his improvements in the Sendai region as well as his "marriage" reached the Shogun's ears. It was why she had responded to Yukimura's missive some months ago and met with Ieyasu Tokugawa in private when she and Bon arrived to receive official confirmation of his status as the official ruler over the Sendai province. And it was also why she was here with him in the Mibu lands now even though she had cut all ties to the clan.

He knew nothing of her correspondence with Yukimura or her collaboration with the Shogun. Nor did he know that she had arranged for a contingent of his own men to arrive in Edo shortly after they left. It was all very hush-hush but if things went well, they would have an army of their own - made up of the three most powerful clans in the country - to face down the Crimson King and bring the Mibu to heel. She only needed the go-ahead from Yukimura.

She had pulled all sorts of strings and called in all kinds of favors and she did it all because she wanted a country that was free of the clan and a life with the man she was quite certain that she was in love with. The only snag was that she needed Bon to realize that the feelings were mutual.

Her pretend husband was trying so hard to resist her – it was actually pretty cute - but she had played her hand masterfully. Okuni had made herself indispensable to his household and she knew that all she needed to do was wait and let nature take its course. And judging by the way he immediately leapt to save her life – even though she was already preparing to save herself with her wires - and the way his one-eyed gaze lingered on her bust, she was quite certain that nature didn't need much of a push to give her what she wanted.

As she trailed after the rest of the group and dwelled on how nice it had felt to have Bon's arm wrapped around her, a slight movement along the edge of her vision gave her pause and she stopped, scanning the brush along the road for the source. They were only a few hundred feet from their next destination and the footsteps of her companions faded into the distance while she tried to figure out who was watching her.

There was a presence there but it wasn't accompanied by any ill-intent and as she stared at the foliage, she could detect slight movement in among the leaves.

"Who's there?" she asked softly and thought she heard a tiny gasp.

A step sounded behind her and she wasn't the least bit surprised to turn and see Bontenmaru standing there. As usual, he preferred to keep her in his sights and she hid a tiny smile of satisfaction. Even if she _was_ perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she had no qualms about having one of the most powerful fighters in the country at her back at all times. It was just another one of the quirks that endeared him to her.

 _'Just you wait, Bon,'_ she thought to herself before shooting him a significant look and inclining her head towards the bushes.

"We have an observer," she said for his ears only and that single eye focused on the shrubbery, examining them for a few seconds while he used his senses to ascertain who or what was there.

A playful smirk appeared on his lips and he marched over to the bushes, which moved a bit as whoever was watching them realized that the giant was gunning for him or her. If they were trying to flee, it was far too late because, without a moment's hesitation and with superhuman speed, Bon thrust a meaty arm into the shrubs and a low squeak sounded as he caught their observer and hauled him out.

Suspending their little spy in the air by the back of his kimono, the two stared in astonishment at the small boy who glared back at them with a mutinous gaze. The biggest shock, however, wasn't the fact that Bon had pulled out a child but rather the two ruby eyes framed by jet-black hair that decorated his face.

No introduction was needed. He was a near-perfect miniature of the Thousand Killer himself and Okuni and Bon could only wonder how in the world they had managed to stumble across one of Kyo's children already.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hopefully this didn't seem rushed but I looked at where things would go if I kept pushing off this meeting and it felt like this story would become dry and drawn out in places where it really didn't need to. I've been wanting to make this happen for so long and I _need_ the hilarity and cuteness of Kyo meeting a small version of himself in my life. ^_^ I know this was a bit shorter than usual but next chapter is full of all sorts of family reunion goodness and comedy. I'll also explain how Ryu came to be in the bushes in the first place.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it was a lot of build up but I do have to cover the other romances in this fic too and it's my way of tying up a few loose ends in the manga. Especially with Okuni since she totally disappeared halfway-through the story and then showed up with an army at the very end, leaving me scratching my head and wondering how they made it in time. Anyways, Bon gets a smokin' hot woman who loves him and Okuni gets a good man who feels the same. Sounds good to me. ;-).

Thanks for taking the time to read and please let me know your thoughts.


	32. Demon Child and Demon's Child

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (So happy you enjoyed the chapter, Hotaru is always good for a laugh and poor Kyo doesn't know what to do about his daughter liking his enemy.), **general zargon** (Yay for more Bon/Okuni shipping! ^_^ I'm so excited about the reunion and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well), **Azure** (Aww, so glad you approve of the Bon/Okuni pairing. Kyo can't help but worry because being a father is still so new but it'll be alright and I won't have him fight Shinrei again. I can't promise the two will become good friends but Shinrei isn't a bad guy and Kyo will understand that eventually.), **Animallover** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Kyo might be a jerk but he's so protective of his friends that I can only imagine he'd take it to a whole new level when his family is involved. I guess I like the manga so much because he was so clearly in love with Yuya and would do pretty much anything to keep her safe and prevent her from being unhappy, even stop himself from killing an enemy. It was all so terribly romantic that it breaks my heart to see so few people in the SDK fandom. We finally got a shounen manga with a legitimately good and clear romance and...nothing? =( Ah well, guess that means I can't slack. I have a sequel to this planned and I have so many more fun things I plan to write for this story. Thanks a lot for sticking with me.), **kyoandyuya** (Hotaru is a special kind of stupid but that's why we all love him. I'm actually looking forward to writing Kyo, Shinrei, Yuya, and Aiko all in the same room, the potential for comedy is off the charts, lol. Glad I didn't scare you away with Bon/Okuni. I really do see them as a Beauty/Beast pairing and he's such a sweetheart who loves women that I wanted him to have someone gorgeous. Hope you enjoy the reunion), **emi21** (Hmmm, I think you're excited. ;-) Glad you enjoyed the little backstory for Bon/Okuni and that it's realistic enough to work for you. Protective Kyo is fun to write and I can't wait for him to meet his son and eventually his daughter), **DebyMU** (I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter. I think Kyo would make a good father because he cares so deeply for Yuya and the other people he views as belonging to him. Glad you enjoyed Bon and Okuni, they are also fun to write and I hope you feel the same way about the reunion in this chapter.), **magicalnana** (Thank you for keeping on me about the reunion. I am so excited to finally have the two of them meet since the mental picture I have of Kyo facing down Mini-Kyo is just too cute for words. ^_^),

 **Author's Note:** I'm super happy everyone enjoyed the last chapter and that Bon and Okuni's budding relationship didn't put anyone off. I was always a little bummed because Kamijyo sensei went the "everyone remains a bachelor route" at the end of SDK. The characters were all so interesting that I hoped there would be a little more love in their lives. The closest things she had to another romance was Tokito following Akira around and Mahiro hounding Benitora to get his work done. Still, I've always loved Bon to bits and pitied Okuni for her impossible love and felt the two would make a nice "Beauty and the Beast" – literally - couple. Anyways, I'll portray pairings where they make sense and I'm super excited to finally write about the family reunion because it's been such a looooooong time coming. ^_^

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine**

 **Demon Child and Demon's Child**

Ryu hated having to wait.

He'd waited a long time to find out who his parents were. He'd waited for Taihaku to tell him what they were going to do once he informed him of what had happened to Shinrei and Aiko. And he had been told that he was expected to wait to meet his parents once he and the head of the Goyosei reached the second gate.

When he fled to Taihaku, the big man had been about to leave to meet with the rest of the Stars in order to determine the order in which they would face his father. Upon listening to his tale, a thoughtful look had entered those golden eyes and he gave Ryu a pat on the head before reassuring him that he would do his best to take the first turn. An eternity had passed while the boy waited for his uncle to return and tell him that they were going to leave for the first gate and he was incredibly disappointed to learn that they would have to wait until his father fought Keikoku first.

By nature, he was not a demanding child who expected things to go his way at all times. Shinrei had done his best to instill patience and a sense of realism in him but he was still young and it was hard to manage his excitement. He wanted to speak to his father, to know what it was like to be held by his mother, and he desperately needed to go and rescue his sister.

Perhaps that was the hardest thing of all. He constantly felt Aiko in the back of his head. She was tired, afraid and beyond the fear he could detect echoes of pain. It was torture. When he closed his eyes, he could see her luminous red irises, so like his own, staring back at him as she told him about his mother and grandfather and how happy they would be to meet him. Then they changed and he saw them filled with admiration for him and Shinrei, eager to spend as much time with both of them as she could. Finally, he saw them as they had been last, sad but hopeful as she told him that he needed to get help for their teacher and reassuring him that she would still be with him even when Hishigi took her away.

That image was the worst one and the most persistent. Her enduring presence in his mind and the two puncture wounds from her teeth, which ached whenever he flexed his hand, only served as a reminder that he was still too weak to save her himself. Aiko was his sweet and gentle twin who loved him and only wanted the people around her to be happy. She didn't deserve to be in the hands of the Taishirou. Thus, it was his endless dwelling on his sister's situation and having his powerful father so close by that prompted one of his rare displays of disobedience.

According to Taihaku, the older man had to accept second place to avoid arousing suspicion, especially since Shinrei hadn't put in an appearance. The head of the Goyosei had tried to comfort the boy with the knowledge that it was only a little bit of extra time they had to wait. He was certain that Kyo would emerge victorious since he'd already managed to defeat Shinrei and Keikoku was at the same level as the water-user. Ryu had nodded along before running ahead of Taihaku with the intent to reach the second gate first. The big man would assume that he would wait there as instructed and that it was only youthful exuberance that made him want to reach their destination as quickly as possible.

However, when he reached the gate and ducked through the side door, he didn't wait for his uncle. Instead, with barely a backwards glance he kept on going, sprinting down the road as fast his legs could carry him and darting into the bushes when he spotted a group of six people heading towards him. He crouched, waiting with bated breath as they drew near and gasping when the ground opened up and nearly swallowed three of the strangers because that would have been him if he hadn't moved away from the middle of the road.

As they continued on, he wondered if ignoring Taihaku's instructions was such a good idea since the people all looked quite strong to him. His unease only grew when one of them, a very pretty woman, held back and looked right at his hiding spot before asking who was there. She didn't look dangerous but he wasn't stupid enough to answer since he knew from personal experience that looks could be deceiving.

Just as Ryu was deciding that it would be better for him to return to his uncle and apologize for not doing as he commanded, the large man with the eyepatch came back, stared in the direction of his bush as well, and strode over with an intent look on his face that sent the child scrambling to get away.

However, he was nowhere near fast enough and he couldn't stop himself from letting out a small cry of alarm when he was hauled out of the bushes and up into the air by a huge hand. He struggled for a couple of seconds before realizing that it was doing him no good and simply settled for glaring at the pair, pinching his lips together to insure he gave nothing away.

The giant and the beauty stared at him with matching expressions of shock on their faces and he was wondering why they seemed so surprised until a step sounded and he slid his eyes to the side to see yet another man who was sporting a tiger-striped bandana.

"What's holding you guys up?" the other man inquired in a light tone before he turned his face towards the boy and his squinty eyes opened in astonishment.

His mouth gaped open and shut a few times like a fish and Ryu was wondering if there were something on his face since they kept staring at him so intently when the man spluttered, "Kami, it's a tiny version of Kyo!"

That got the boy's attention and he blinked at hearing his father's name, moving his eyes between the faces of each of the adults slowly, analyzing their expressions as they nodded in agreement with the tiger man. They didn't look angry or sound contemptuous, only surprised and he licked his lips as he debated whether or not to say anything.

"Where did he come from, Bon-Han?"

"How would I know, Tora? I just found him spying on us from the bushes. But he's obviously Kyo's kid."

"Yes, of course he is," the woman said in a calm voice before giving Ryu an assessing look and smiling softly at him as she continued, "but maybe you should ask his name first. I don't think he enjoys being dangled in the air."

"Ah yeah, guess not," Bon said, lowering Ryu to the ground with surprising care and only stepping away when the pretty woman kneeled down in front of the boy and reached out to stroke his hair lightly.

"My name is Okuni and I'm sorry if we scared you, young man," she said, "It's just that you gave us a bit of a shock. You look a lot like your father. Do you happen to know who he is?"

The boy stared at her, taking in her scent and finding it pleasant and relaxing beneath the nonthreatening touch of her hand. Licking his lips again, he looked at the two men behind her before stepping closer to Okuni and nodding slightly.

"That's wonderful. It makes things easier. The two men with me are Bontenmaru and Benitora, they won't hurt you, either. Would you mind telling me your name?"

Ryu hesitated for a moment, hazarding a glance towards the path leading to the first gate before he said quietly, "My name is Mibu Ryu. Are you...friends of my father?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Patience had never been one of Kyo's strong suits.

It took only minutes after passing through the first gate for him to break into a run. Yuya paced behind him in silence and their friends followed suit. Moving from one gate to the next usually took at least half an hour if one were running and he particularly wanted to get past the second gate as quickly as possible. There were too many painful memories attached to his last visit there. It was where he had told Yuya he loved her and also where he had lost both himself and her on that miserable day years ago. That accursed gate was also the place where Fubuki had used his wife and unborn children against him and just the thought of how that had gone down was enough to fill him with fury.

A part of him wondered if Shinrei would show up there again this time or if someone else would be waiting for them. Whoever it was, he wasn't interested in drawing out the fight and he fully intended to cut down anyone else who got in his way. As he traversed the road and listened to his wife breathing heavily behind him, he silently swore to himself that he would get them to the king's castle as quickly as possible so that he could do what he needed to do and leave the Mibu lands for good.

Kyo pushed himself to go even faster until the footsteps of his companions grew fainter since they were unable to keep up with his incredible speed and he kept his eyes focused on the goal in front of him, quickly bypassing a hole in the ground that looked to be yet another trap that had been set. Realizing that his other friends must have already passed by that way, he smirked as the next gate rapidly grew in size and slowed only when his feet touched the courtyard in front of his destination.

Red eyes moved from one end of the space to the other, noting that all of his friends appeared to have made it there safely with the addition of one extremely tall man that he recognized well.

"Taihaku," he murmured his name out loud as he examined him from afar, noting the intent look on his face before those golden eyes glanced down towards the ground and he appeared to smile at something.

Kyo took a step in their direction, wondering why everyone looked so cozy when a breeze blew towards him from the group and he stopped in his tracks, nostrils flaring as he took in a scent that he had smelled only once before. It had been back in his room in the castle when Tenrou mysteriously showed up on his bed, a smell that was close to his but not at the same time.

Narrowing his gaze at the group, he saw Taihaku's eyes flick upwards and pause on his face, examining him for a moment before he said some something to the rest of the group and they all shifted nervously, each bending their head slightly to look at whatever Taihaku had been staring at before turning to look back at him. Their behavior was all very suspicious and he started getting annoyed, wondering if the people in front of him weren't actually his friends but some sort of replacements sent to trick him.

Marching forward and thumbing his sword from its scabbard just a hair in case he needed to remove a few heads, he asked, "What are you all crowding around for?"

No one said anything in reply to his question, not even Akira who had a thoughtful expression on his face, and Kyo's ire only grew as he neared the group. Sliding Tenrou from its usual resting place against his shoulder and holding it at his side, he continued on with purposeful strides, glaring at each of the people staring back at him in turn.

It was Okuni who broke the tension by smiling with unusual sweetness and exchanging a look with Bon in silent communication that very similar the way he spoke with Yuya sometimes. The big man nodded back at her and, as if that were a signal, his companions parted and arranged themselves three-to-a-side next to Taihaku, giving him a complete view of the other man and the child standing next to his feet.

Without conscious thought, his steps immediately halted and he had to tighten his grip on his sword to keep from dropping it as he stared at an image that was so familiar and nostalgic that his words died in his mouth. Time ended in that second and he stopped breathing, stopped moving, unable to even blink for fear that the boy in front of him would disappear.

It was him.

At least, it was a version of himself that he hadn't seen in almost thirty years. A small boy with dark hair and a fine black kimono that, doubtless, sported a Yin-Yang symbol on the back. It would be a perfect match to the one he himself wore as a child and very similar to what he still wore as an adult. Kyo's choice in clothing was his one nod to his Mibu origins aside from his most striking feature, a trait shared only by a select few, namely the man who called himself the Former Crimson King and his own offspring. And at least one of those three people was staring back at him with eyes that were the exact same shade as his.

It was like looking into a mirror from the past. Oh, there were slight variations between the two of them. His red highlights were missing, the shape of the boy's eyes favored his mother more, and Kyo was quite certain that he had never looked so guileless in his life, but all of those things were small differences, dwarfed by the sheer enormity of that one moment.

For one of the few times in his life, he didn't know how to react. He'd told Yuya once after their reunion in Edo that her carrying his child hadn't quite been real to him. And though he had warmed to the idea of being a father and looked forward to meeting his children, he hadn't expected it so soon and suddenly his status as a parent was very, very real and very much staring him in the face with two gleaming ruby eyes.

As he examined his son, he was examined in return and he could see the boy gathering himself visibly, saw that tiny chest rise and fall as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before hesitantly taking the first step towards him. It was such a simple thing but Kyo was mesmerized, as if the picture he had in his head of his son had come to life and demonstrated proof that there truly was a living, breathing person that he had helped to create. Kyo only respected items that were tangible, taking solace in the ability to touch and hold things because he'd always had so little to call his own and right now he wanted to touch the tiny version of himself who was coming towards him with halting steps.

He couldn't help but drink the child in, filing away his features and counting his fingers and toes as he would have done when he was born. The fingers of his free hand twitched with the desire to touch them to the top of that raven head and count the strands there too, but he curled them into a fist to keep them under control. His boy exuded more innocence than he'd ever had and a part of him feared that he'd corrupt the child with his evil just by touching him. And so he merely watched as his son approached him.

Stopping in front of him, the boy craned his neck in order to maintain eye contact with his tall sire and Kyo felt a measure of pride at his boldness. Most people were unnerved by his gaze the first time they met it and yet, there wasn't a speck of fear in the eyes that stared back at him.

The boy licked his lips and took another deep breath before opening his mouth and saying, "I am Mibu Ryu," that little chin went up another notch, silently daring him to refute his next words as he continued, "Your son."

It was surreal. Kyo already knew who the boy was, including his name, but there was something incredible about hearing it spoken out loud. Within a few seconds and in only six words – no matter how rehearsed they were - his son managed to convey the fact that he wanted to know his father and that he would not accept rejection from him.

Ryu was so much like how he'd been as a child that Kyo couldn't help but smirk as he finally found his voice and replied, "Yeah, I already know you're my brat. Question is whether or not you have the strength to back that statement up."

The boy flinched and absently rubbed the back of his right hand before saying, "Not yet...but I will."

There was a tale there waiting to be told, judging by the two little wounds on the small appendage, but Kyo didn't pry, merely said, "Those are some bold words, kid."

His boy nodded briskly before replying, "It's the truth because I'm your son."

The Thousand Killer raised a brow and replied, "Is that so? And what makes you think I'll squeeze the weakness out of you?"

Those red eyes were alight with determination and conviction as Ryu grinned, revealing tiny fangs, and replied, "Because you're the strongest."

His father's smirk widened and he nodded in response as he said, "And don't you forget it."

The boy's boldness, his confidence, that subtle hint of challenge that the child probably didn't even know he exuded and, most of all, that hunger for strength and acknowledgement. All of it was there, a reflection of himself and Kyo was fascinated, trying to figure out how his personality traits had been duplicated in a kid he was meeting for the first time in his life.

Slowly, he uncurled the fingers of his left hand and, bending down, touched just the tips of them to the boy's shoulder in silent recognition – showing him that he understood who he was, what he was, and the motives that drove him - before standing tall once more. The gesture was also his way of proving to himself that he wouldn't ruin the child just by making contact with him and, for a split second, his smile turned genuine before reverting to his usual smirk. Though brief, it was enough for Ryu and, as Kyo turned to face the way he'd come so that he could greet his wife with their child at his side, he could tell that the boy was pleased.

For a man who was used to bringing about so much destruction, having a kid definitely placed high on the very short list of good things he'd ever produced and he rubbed his digits together, memorizing the warmth of his son's shoulder. Though he kept his excitement contained, he was happy.

He had a son. It was official, Demon Eyes Kyo the Thousand Killer was a father and he kind of liked it.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I see Kyo," Hotaru said next to her and Yuya took his word for it since her human eyes were no match for his sharp Mibu ones.

They were still running towards the next gate and she was quietly grumbling at her husband for leaving them in the dust. She understood his impatience and didn't look forward to going to the next gate any more than he did but she also didn't want him to start a battle without her being there to watch him and make sure he was alright. Even if she couldn't fight on the same level as him, she liked to think that she lent him some sort of moral support.

However, in the end it wasn't worth grumbling over and she continued on next to the rest of her friends, who were keeping up easily. She could just make out the next gate when Hotaru spoke once more.

"I see Kyo...," he said again and Yuya rolled her eyes.

"You already said that," she said, wondering if he was the type to repeat himself all the time.

"...And Mini-Kyo," Hotaru finished as if she hadn't spoken and it took her a moment to register what he was saying and catch herself before she tripped and fell.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I said I see Kyo and Mini-Kyo," he replied.

"Are you sure?" she asked, not daring to hope that her other child could possibly be waiting for her.

"Mm," he made a tiny sound in the back of his throat and nodded, plodding along as calm as he pleased like he wasn't delivering earth-shaking news to her.

Yuya didn't press him. He might have been a little on the thick side but he didn't strike her as liar either and the thought of finally meeting her other, unknown child was more temptation than she could take. She put on an extra burst of speed and broke out into a full sprint, pushing her legs as hard as they would go. Slowing down now wasn't an option even though she knew it probably wasn't a good idea since she had no idea what traps were lying in wait for her.

Still, nothing, not even her aching legs and burning lungs, mattered. All she could see in her mind's eye was a little boy who looked just like Kyo and she wanted nothing more than to find out the truth of the matter. To hug him long and hard to make up for all of the years that she hadn't even known he existed.

By the time Kyo and the little figure standing next to him came clearly into view, she was gasping for air and her chest felt as if it would burst. Still she persevered, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the boy with the red eyes who was watching her approach with obvious amazement. She offered him a tiny grin as she drew near, slowing down with the intent to stop but the uneven ground was her downfall.

The bounty huntress' foot caught on a paver that wasn't level with its siblings and her momentum carried her forward before she could regain her balance. Her arms wind milled wildly as if she could flap them hard enough to keep herself upright and she let out a cry of alarm, thrusting a hand out as the ground rushed up to meet her because she knew she was going to hit it _hard_. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for her, a strong hand caught her outstretched one, halting her fall but wrenching her shoulder a bit in the process.

"Years of bounty hunting under your belt and you're still so clumsy, woman," Kyo's voice said with an amused tone and she wanted to sink into the ground as he pulled her up and set her back on her feet.

She tried to play off her tumble by patting down her kimono and taking a second to let her breathing even out from her prolonged sprint, but her cheeks were burning. She did _not_ want her son's first image of her to be of a klutzy woman with no decorum and Kyo would tease her about it for all of eternity if he realized just how embarrassed she was at the moment.

Darting her eyes over to peek at her husband, she swore mentally because he had such a knowing look in his eyes that she knew he was going to make her life miserable for a while. Heaving a sigh, she turned her gaze to the boy who was staring at her with a great deal of interest and her heart just about melted because Hotaru was exactly right, he _was_ a miniature version of Kyo.

Everything about him, from head to toe, was reminiscent of her husband and as she looked from one to another in amazement, they each tilted their heads ever so slightly to the right in mild inquiry since she wasn't saying anything. The fact that they even had similar mannerisms was too much and Yuya had to turn away and press a hand to her mouth to keep from making an exclamation because her heart just wasn't prepared for that level of cuteness.

"Woman, are you alright? You're acting strange," Kyo said and she turned to look at the pair of them again, noting that they now wore identical frowns.

Nope, it was still too adorable for words and she had to force herself to remember that she was supposed to be introducing herself to her son. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she focused her gaze on him once more and simply marveled at him. He truly was a handsome little boy but he looked a bit uncertain and she realized that she hadn't even spoken yet and that he could not possibly understand how overjoyed she was to see him. She opened her mouth, intending to introduce herself and explain that she knew who he was, but she shut it almost immediately and decided that showing was infinitely better than telling in this case.

Lowering herself on legs that were still horribly shaky from running, she looked her little boy in his ruby eyes, beamed at him with all of the love she had been saving up for that very moment, and said softly, "Ryu-Chan."

Then she opened her arms wide in invitation and his expression softened. He didn't ask her how she knew his name or where she'd been his whole life. A shy smile simply touched his lips and then he was in her arms, nestling himself against her chest as he whispered a low, intense, "Kaa-Chan."

There was world of longing in that one word and she held him close, wishing she could draw out his ache and fill him up with her love. Instead she rocked him back and forth, smelled his little boy scent, and stroked his soft, black head, deciding then and there that she had the cutest son that had ever walked the earth. It was overwhelming and wonderful and she found herself blinking out tears because her emotions were welling up so much that they had no place else to go but to spill out onto her cheeks.

Kyo was actually nice enough to let them have their snuggle for long minutes before saying teasingly, "And now you know that your mom is a clumsy crybaby, kid."

She lifted her head just enough to stick her tongue out at him and he added, "Don't forget childish too."

Beneath her hands, Ryu's shoulders shook a little as he chuckled softly before raising his head and gazing up at her with a face etched with love and eyes that were more than a little bright.

"You're crying Kaa-Chan," he said quietly.

Yuya refrained from commenting that he was dangerously close to doing the same because he was a boy and, even at his age, he would have his pride. Instead, she replied, "It's because I'm so happy to see you and I can already tell that you are a good boy."

Ryu smiled at her comment but it was tinged with sadness and she stroked his head again, wondering why he seemed upset by her words. She surreptitiously glanced over his head, looking for signs of Aiko and seeing none. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about her daughter's absence but she couldn't bring herself to ask her little boy what had happened and break the happy atmosphere of their reunion.

Kyo, however, caught her gaze and knew immediately who she was looking for. His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to ask what she would not and she shook her head frantically, begging him without words not to take this moment with her son away from her.

Her husband closed his mouth, heaved a sigh and turned to head towards Taihaku, doubtless to get the other man to fill him in on what had been happening in the clan since his departure and to find some clues as to their daughter's whereabouts.

Silently thanking her husband for his rare use of tact, she set Ryu away from her a bit and just stared at him. He stared back at her, committing her features to memory the way she was doing with his. Really, she could have gazed at him for hours but a mark on the back of his hand caught her attention and she reached out the touch it only to have him snatch it away and thrust it behind his back.

Frowning, she held her hand out and ordered firmly, "Show me your hand, Ryu-Chan."

Naturally, she wanted to start off on a good foot but she wasn't about to forget that she was still his mother and obligated to take care of him if he was injured. Thus, she kept her eyes steadily on him and didn't move her appendage while she waited for him to give into her demand. Ryu scowled a bit – which made him look even more like Kyo - but eventually did as she told him to, laying his hand in hers with great reluctance.

"Thank you," she said with a tiny smile to soothe his ruffled feathers before taking a closer look at his hand.

It looked like he'd been bitten by something with sharp teeth but the wound wasn't infected and she said, "Akari should be able to heal this easily."

She wasn't prepared for her son's vehement reaction as he snatched his hand away and shook his head emphatically.

"Please no!"

Frowning with worry, Yuya said, "Why not? It won't hurt, I promise."

Realizing that he was only worrying his mother, Ryu settled down and said, "I can't. Not until Ai-Chan is safe."

A shiver of apprehension went down her spine and her determination not to ask uncomfortable questions melted away since he'd been the one to broach the subject first.

"What about Ai-Chan? Where is she? She isn't hurt, is she?" Yuya forced her voice into a semblance of calm but his clear anxiety over the condition of his twin didn't bode well and she knew that she wouldn't like his answer.

His red gaze skittered away from hers and he said softly, "She...was taken away."

"Taken away?" Yuya repeated, "Where? By whom?"

"By Hishigi-Sama to his lab. I couldn't...stop her," he said in an even softer tone and the shame in his voice tore at her heart.

"What do you mean you couldn't stop her?" she asked.

"She ran away. That's how I got this," he lifted his injured hand.

"I still don't understand why. Aiko isn't the type to hurt people."

"No, she isn't. She's so nice and I tried to get her to run away but she wouldn't. She didn't want Shinrei-Sama to die and Hishigi-Sama wanted only her."

Yuya wasn't understanding what had happened. Why would her daughter care enough about Shinrei's life to hurt her own sibling? How could the water-user have sustained life-threatening injuries amongst his own kind? The last she'd seen of him, the Goyosei member was still a loyal soldier of the Mibu clan even if he _had_ let her go free four years back.

Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery she asked, "Who hurt Shinrei?"

"Hishigi-Sama did," Ryu answered and she could tell that the memory alone was enough to make him uncomfortable.

"Why?"

"Because he wanted to take Ai-Chan and Shinrei-Sama didn't want them to hurt her like...," he pinched his lips together and didn't finish the sentence but she knew what word he had almost uttered.

 _Me._

Just like that, her worry veered towards anger and her voice was tight as she put two and two together and said, "So Aiko bit you and ran back to Hishigi so that you could save Shinrei, who was seriously injured because he was trying to protect your sister. Is that about the sum of it?"

He nodded slowly and she could tell that he was deeply bothered by the whole thing. She had an inkling as to why he might be ashamed of himself but decided to go gently and softened her tone as she asked, "And were you able to save Shinrei?"

Even though she didn't care for the man, she wasn't so hard-hearted as to wish him dead when he had risked his life for her children. In fact, if their past together wasn't so rough, she would have loved to hug the man for his sacrifice.

She took that sentiment and held onto it as she listened to Ryu's reply and was therefore able to muster up a true smile when he said, "Yes."

"So her sacrifice wasn't useless, was it?"

Her son looked at her in bewilderment, most likely wondering why she wasn't condemning him the way he was clearly condemning himself, before he shook his head and answered, "No, but I didn't save her."

"And how would you have done that, Ryu-Chan?" she asked gently.

"I...," he began before pausing.

"I...would have...," he tried again only to stop a second time.

"Ryu-Chan, was Shinrei the only person she was trying to save?"

He gave her a long look before shaking his head slowly and she didn't press further, knowing that Aiko would have tried to help her brother as well because she was that sort of child.

"I said it before and I'll say it again, you are a good boy and," she reached out to clasp his hand, "we'll get Ai-Chan back so we can all be a family."

Ryu perked up at the word "family" and gave her a look that was so full of hope that it made her feel like crying again. He looked so much like Kyo and it served as a painful reminder that her husband had never had the luxury of parents who would search him out and hug him tightly. He had no one to stroke his hair and tell him things were going to be alright and by the time Muramasa had taken him away, the barriers around his heart were firmly in place and he was convinced that he didn't need such things. It was a sad tale no matter how she looked at it and she refused to let the same thing happen to either of her children. Kyo, Aiko, and Ryu...they were all her family and she would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

W ith that in mind, she opened her mouth to ask him if he were hungry since she had snacks in her traveling pack but the words died in her mouth when a sudden change came over Ryu's face. The hand beneath hers started trembling and his eyes took on a faraway look. His face flushed and his breathing started to get heavier. It was strange and frightening to see her own son exhibiting such weird symptoms and she shook his shoulder, trying to snap him out of it.

"Ryu-Chan, are you alright?" she asked and he gave a start, staring at her as if he had forgotten that she was there.

"Ai...Ai-Chan," he said thickly, "he's hurting her."

"How do you know? What's happening? Ryu," she reached out to touch him but he flinched away, gripping his arms and digging his nails in so hard that she knew there would be bruises.

His breathing was getting more and more labored and he started curling into himself, rocking back and forth and whispering something under his breath that she couldn't quite catch. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and an unpleasant feeling crept up her spine. He was exuding a dark aura that was disturbingly similar to the one his father let out when he fought seriously and allowed his emotions to run rampant. Yuya tried to reach for him again, only to have a strong hand pull her arm back. There was movement from her son and an audible click sounded as Ryu's fangs snapped shut over the place where her hand had been.

Her husband snatched their boy up and the child struggled against his grip muttering gutturally, "Hurts… kill."

Yuya had enough time to see a feral look in her son's eyes before Kyo delivered a blow to the side of his neck that knocked him out cold, leaving her to wonder just what in the world the Mibu had done to their little boy and what they were doing to her daughter.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hooray for reunions but boo for creepy experiments that mess with the heads of little children. I'll explain what happened in a bit but in the meantime, thanks for reading. I was hoping to have a little more humor in this chapter but I got too emotional. Still, I hope you enjoyed it and there's plenty more plot and family time coming. Don't worry, Ryu will be back to himself when he wakes up. As always, please let me know your thoughts.


	33. Kind Soldier and Captive Princess Part 1

**Thanks to: Azure** (Glad the reunion had the requisite amount of cuteness, Aiko will show up again soon enough ;-)), **general zargon** (The twins will be alright in the end, I promise. Kyo facing a kid version of himself is just too much fun to write and they will definitely get more moments together.), **DebyMU** (I'm glad you enjoyed the reunion. Also, Ryu is behaving strangely because of his connection with Aiko. Don't worry, she'll be rescued soon. ^_^), **Rinfantasy** (I'm so happy you enjoyed the chapter. I think Kyo and Yuya make good parents and both of them would do their best to protect their children. Aiko won't be left with Hishigi forever.), **kyoandyuya** (I'm happy the reunion didn't disappoint and you are right in that Hishigi is messing with poor Aiko but she won't be stuck for much longer.), **magicalnana** (Thank you again for giving me the push I needed and I'm really happy you enjoyed the chapter. Also, to answer your question, it's Aiko's influence.), **Azure Shine** (Yup, they are making progress. The king had better watch out for messing with Kyo's family.), **lmamc** (Thanks! I have plenty more to write.), **abattles2** (I'm happy you are so enjoying the story and that you like the reunion. I'm also happy that you didn't think Kyo was too OOC in his reactions.)

 **Author's Note:** Warnings ahead for some blood towards the end and Hishigi's general creepiness. Also, a heads up that I haven't beta'ed this chapter yet but bed is calling and I was eager to get this one out in the wild for reasons that you'll see. Some explanations for past events are available.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty**

 **Kind Soldier and Captive Princess**

 **Part One**

"I have one more favor to ask of you, Yukimura-San," Sakuya said and her companion paused in the middle of biting into the snack she'd set out for him.

"Oh, and what else would you like me to do?" he asked with a tiny smile, "Shall I whisk you away from your wicked tower, my lady? Do you have a demon or two for me to slay?"

The seer giggled and shook her head in amusement. Yukimura really did make her captivity more bearable. His wit and charm always brightened her day and she knew that, for all his plotting and endless flirting, he was a genuinely kind person. It was why she was entrusting him with one last request.

"I just need you to deliver two more letters for me, Yukimura-San," she said, reaching into her sleeve and pulling out her missives.

Holding up the first one, she said, "Hishigi is going to summon you very shortly. Please accept his request and hand this over to Kyoshiro when you see him."

Yukimura's expression was intrigued as he plucked the folded paper from her fingers, glancing at the name written on the front of it before tucking it away.

"This other letter...," she held the second one up and stared at it for a moment because a person's life hung in the balance.

"Yes...?" the samurai across from her prodded.

"This one is to be delivered to Shinrei-San immediately after you accept Hishigi's request. Just slip it under his door."

Her companion's eyebrows rose as he took the letter and he replied, "I take it he's the other person you brought in to play. He's always been quite loyal to the Mibu, are you sure he can be trusted?"

She nodded and said, "Yes. His loyalty is exactly why I can trust him to do what needs to be done. He loves the clan and he'll do whatever he must to protect its members, even if it means to take a stand against his superiors."

Her visitor's face was faintly disbelieving and she decided to elaborate.

"I guess the simplest way to put it is that he was raised to be completely devoted to the interests of the Mibu. Thing is, Fubuki and the rest did _too_ good of a job on him. Presented with a scenario in which the people he cares for is put at risk by the machinations of the Taishirou, I know he'll choose his people. That's why he took on the job of guarding both of Kyo's children."

Yukimura's face turned thoughtful as he replied, "I hadn't really given much thought to that. It's not exactly a secret that's he's playing nursemaid but I assumed it was a duty that had been thrust upon him."

The miko shook her head and said, "I prodded him a bit to take on the assignment but his devotion did most of it. To him, those two are the last natural-born Mibu and represent a hope for the future. Honestly, he is a kinder man than most give him credit for."

"Yeah, I always thought he was too stiff to let his emotions factor into his decisions. To me, he seemed a bit cold-blooded. Then again, I don't get close to him. He doesn't trust me and I prefer not to have my plans upset by him. He's _so_ very persistent once he gets his suspicions aroused."

Sakuya smiled at the truthfulness of the statement and replied, "I can't say that was unwise of you. It takes a certain type of person to open up his heart and he'd likely have killed you if he thought you presented a threat."

"Ouch," Yukimura said with mock hurt, "and here I thought we could finally be friends."

"You might very well be in the end but, for now, please deliver those letters and do not, under any circumstances, mention Shinrei-San's name. He's technically not supposed to be alive."

If possible, his brows rose even higher than before and, with the boundless nosiness of a natural-born gossip, he replied, "Now that is just too fascinating to pass up. Details, details if you please."

He gave her his most charming smile and she returned it with one of her own, pressing her fingers together as she replied brightly, "I'm sorry but the less you know the better. All I can say is that every soldier needs a princess and there is a very special one waiting for Shinrei-San to rescue her."

"Oh, I'm crushed," Yukimura pressed a hand to his chest to show her how deeply he'd been wounded by her refusal to appease his curiosity and she laughed, making a shooing motion with her hands.

"You'll meet her soon enough, Yukimura-San. In the meantime, please get those letters in the right hands."

"Of course," he stood and she followed suit, escorting him to the door of her room and halting him for one extra moment with a hand on his arm.

"By the way," she said softly and he turned his lively eyes upon her, "I just want to say thank you. For being my friend and for helping me out."

This was going to be the last time the two of them would be able to meet like this. She had done her part to help Kyo and his friends. The rest lay with Kyoshiro and whether or not he had the fortitude to go through with the plan she had foreseen him enacting. Unfortunately, she wasn't clear if it would pay off and the future was cloudy whenever she tried to discern the outcome of Kyo's destined confrontation with the king. All she could see was a hazy, demonic figure that made her tremble and a feeling of intense rage – destructive anger that was as deep and wide as the ocean.

Perhaps Yukimura sensed the finality in her words because his smile was extra gentle as he replied, "For a beautiful woman like you, _anything_. If Kyoshiro doesn't work out, please look me up."

This was said with a wink and his smile took on a slightly roguish cast that had her laughing and shaking her head as he slipped away. No matter what happened, she sensed that change was on the horizon and all she could do was hope that she had succeeded in nudging those changes in the right direction.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She was beautiful.

As he stood over her, observing her intently with his single eye, Hishigi silently marveled at the creature laid out on his table. Subject A was, thus far, surpassing his wildest expectations.

While a part of him was mildly disappointed that he had never managed to create a Mibu-Shaman hybrid with his vast skills, he could rise above such things when he considered the massive amount of data he had acquired in just a few short hours thanks to her "participation" in his experiments.

 ***Flashback***

 _She'd resisted him at first, balking when he approached with a needle to draw samples from her blood. But he'd reminded her that he was quite alright with retrieving her brother and bringing him to his lab if she needed extra prodding to cooperate._

 _Some might have called his not-so-subtle threat cruel, especially considering the age of his subject but he hadn't made as much progress as he had with the Mibu Reconstruction Project by acknowledging the existence of a conscience, it would only have gotten in his way. In the end, she had sat there and done as he asked._

 _When he drew blood or scraped off a bit of skin, she said nothing. When he clipped a few strands of hair from her head and had her strip down to her undergarments so that he could take a sample of her spinal fluids, she kept her silence. Even when he ordered her to hold still before inserting the needle between the disks of her spine, she didn't let out more than a whimper. It was an uncomfortable procedure, he knew that quite well and had seen adults who cried over it, but she still maintained her quiet. The only indications he had of her discomfort were the tense set of her shoulders and, when she was facing him again, a spot of blood on the side of her mouth where she had bitten her lip._

 _Though her red eyes moved from fear to anger and back again and there was more than one moment where he could feel her mind poking at his, Subject A was the model of cooperation. And all it took was implying that her twin would come to harm. Regardless of whether he would carry out his threat or not, he was grateful for her weakness towards her family. A pliant test subject was always preferable to one who struggled and dragged things out._

 _His physical tests were needed to see how he could duplicate her genetics and the shamanic abilities that came with them in order to produce hybrids of his own – especially in combination with her True Mibu genes. In what felt like no time at all, he was moving on to the part where he tested just how powerful her empathic abilities were. For those, he had to clear out a significant portion of his laboratory staff, keeping only two men to assist him._

 _From that point he had her use her abilities on both him and the men. He began by having her read the emotions of the assistants, which she did quickly enough. He then instructed her project her own emotions which she struggled with, indicating that she had not yet outgrown the habit of manifesting her powers most strongly when her own emotions were uncontrolled. Therefore, he resorted to other means of provoking her. For most empaths, any powerful emotions could get results – fear, anger, love, hate, any and all were acceptable as long as they pushed her over the threshold._

 _The Elder settled on making her angry - it was the easiest for him to evoke and one of the more destructive emotions - and he went down the list of things that would upset her. He informed her that Ryu had been one of his best subjects for years and that her brother wasn't as strong as her, that he had fussed whenever he felt the slightest bit of pain. He made clear to her that she shouldn't hope for her parents to come because they would never make it far enough into the Mibu lands to save her. He let her know that Shinrei was dead and what a pity it was to lose a good soldier - if only he hadn't opposed his masters for her sake. That last one got a strong response from her, as he knew it would, and he noted down her reactions on his clipboard while tears silently ran down her cheeks and her anger and misery buffeted at him and his assistants, who weren't able to remain as unaffected as him._

 _Hishigi didn't enjoy her unhappiness, he simply needed her to produce results and it was the most efficient way to do so. It wasn't as if he were lying to her. Either Shinrei or himself had always had to hold Ryu still when he took samples. Kyo wasn't strong enough to defeat any of the elders so he didn't expect him to be able to rescue his daughter. And it was absolutely true that Shinrei would still be alive if he hadn't decided to play the knight for Kyo's daughter._

 _Still, it was fascinating to see how quickly she had formed an attachment to the man and he was trying to decide if he should nurture that habit and direct it towards more productive things or eliminate it just in case it got in the way. He fully expected to have access to her for a long while yet and, since she was still young, there was plenty of time to mold her thoughts and abilities in whichever ways he wished._

 _His final test of her abilities came when he decided to use a concoction that he'd been working on for quite some time. It was one of the most useful things to come out of his research into shamans and his involvement in the Mibu project. Subject A's brother had already had his turn with it, back on the day when he shut Shinrei out of the lab so that he could draw the maximum number of blood samples and see what effect his Crime Monster formula would have on the half-breed._

 _The results had been impressive to say the least, aging the boy to adulthood and bringing out the vicious nature that was inherent in all True Mibu. It was only by virtue of the restraints they had put on him that he was prevented from tearing his men to pieces with hands and teeth and his killing aura had very nearly stopped a few hearts until the Doctor extracted the potion and reverted him to normal. Hishigi could only imagine what the boy would be like with the proper training beneath his belt and a weapon in hand._

 _Naturally, he wanted to see what effect his mixture would have on a half-breed with shamanic abilities. Would it draw out her maximum powers like it did with normal Mibu? Would her gift ascend to a completely different level the way it did for most shamans? Would she take on her adult form and turn into an aggressive demon the way her brother had? The very thought of learning the answers to those questions was enough to give him a feeling of almost-pleasure._

 _As it turned out, the results were a mixture of all three. With his special stimulant in place - as well as the sedative he would need to bring her back down once the results of his experiment were apparent - he took his needle in hand. Perhaps Subject A sensed that it would be unwise to sit still for his last test because she had stared at the iten in his grip, nostrils flaring as she tried to scent what the ominous black liquid in the syringe was, and then she started to struggle. It was futile of course, Hishigi himself had held her still before clasping her chin between his fingers and forcing her to stare at the two assistants who looked back with unease written on their faces._

 _The men hadn't been chosen at random. Both of them had been charged with making sure that Tenrou stayed put and yet, the sword had wound up in Kyo's possession anyways and he escaped. Saying "I don't know" or "we tried" weren't good enough and thus, to the Elder, they would atone for their mistakes by helping him in the most valuable way possible. At the end of the day, if his subordinates could not follow his instructions, then they were disposable and he was practical enough to ensure that their deaths would prove useful to him in his constant quest to collect more data._

 _The version of Crime Monster that he'd chosen for his experiment on Subject A was a special variant that made the receiver susceptible to the suggestions of the giver. He could see his men starting to fidget, hazarding glances at the sole exit as he brought his lips down close to the girl's ear and stuck the point of the needle into her arm._

 _She was trembling beneath the hand he was using to restrain her shoulder and he kept his voice soft as he whispered into her ear, "Kill them," before pushing the plunger down on the device and injecting her with his mixture._

 _Her body tensed for a long moment and then she started seizing, limbs flailing about while she made a long, tortured noise in the back of her throat and her body bowed back until she was looking at him practically upside down. Her red eyes stared into his and he could feel her pain and rage as they overtook her and she began to grow. The sound of fabric tearing reached his ears and he realized that her clothes were coming apart at the seams as she transformed. Everything about her was lengthening, from her arms and legs to her hair until, at the end of her metamorphosis, it was no longer a child he held but a young woman._

 _By nature, Hishigi was an asexual being. He had no use for other people in general and attraction did not work for him the same way it did for normal people. Desire was something he thought of as a tool to be used for those who were slaves to their own lust. However, he understood beauty. He knew which arrangements of features were generally considered to be attractive and he knew that most men were weak to the naked female form._

 _However, as he stared down and took in the physical changes his Crime Monster had wrought in Kyo's daughter he realized that she transcended such pedantic words as "pretty" or "beautiful". The stream of golden hair that descended from her crown blazed with red highlights when the light hit it. The long limbs and small feet with healthy pink nails spoke of grace. The well-rounded breasts with delicate veins and the body shape that flared out up top and curved into a narrow waist before spreading out again into lovely hips whispered temptation. All of these features by themselves would have been appealing but when put together they formed a woman who was, in a word, exquisite._

 _His two assistants stared transfixed, drinking in the sight of a naked woman who was, in form at least, a living, breathing testament to her descent from a race of gods – the True Mibu. Finding their reactions of interest, he slowly removed his hands from the young woman and grabbed up his clipboard, wanting to note down everything that was about to happen and wondering what would happen when his assistants realized that her killing intent was also increasing dramatically. Her physical traits were more than acceptable, a pretty face could be a very effective weapon in battle, but what he was most interested in was her power. How would she use it to carry out his quietly intoned instructions? So far she wasn't rampaging like her brother._

 _He had his answer soon enough. With predatory elegance, she slid from the table she had been sitting on and stood there examining each of the men in the room in turn, including himself. Her red eyes were penetrating and, for the first time, both they and her face were devoid of all emotion. He had the oddest feeling, as if she saw all of them as no more than insects, and then she smiled slightly before she told him to die._

 _His body moved a few inches without his consent and it was only the years spent dealing with various versions version of her kind – though other empaths had been fully human and not quite so overwhelmingly hypnotic - that allowed him the control needed to edge his hand away from the scalpel he had reached for automatically. Discipline and practice allowed him to realize that her command hadn't been verbal or even mental for that matter. She wasn't telepathic but she_ _ **was**_ _manipulating their emotions, making them feel whatever she wanted and right now she was projecting her pain and pushing them to kill, either themselves or each other._

 _Crime Monster wasn't a gentle drug, it forced the body to undergo changes and do things it wasn't meant to in order to draw out power from its host. If he had wanted to see what she was capable of, then his experiment was a rousing success. Having lived with his own suicidal thoughts for years, Hishigi could resist her but it actually took effort and he could feel her in the back of his mind, digging deeper and deeper as she searched for his long dead emotions to dredge up and use against him. The fearful child was gone, replaced by the cold beauty his drug had called up and he could feel her desire to rule him, bend him to her thrall._

 _The disturbing part about it was that a tiny part of him, the one that had been imprinted with obedience to the original creators of the modern-day Mibu, wanted to do as she asked. There was already so much blood on his hands and he had grown tired of living quite some time ago. Didn't it make more sense to do as she willed and end it all?_

 _As the sounds of his assistants killing each other reached his ears, he groped for the sedative he'd prepared ahead of time. Realizing that prolonged exposure to her gift was unwise and proving more effective against him than he had previously believed possible, he closed in on her as he fought her silent command to cut his own life short._

 _Without any preamble, he stuck the needle into the side of her neck and injected her with the sleeping agent. She blinked and then those depthless red eyes grew heavy as she started to sway on her feet. He caught her as she crumpled and transferred her back to the table, staring at her for a long moment before leaving to summon his other assistants back to the lab for clean-up duty._

 ***End Flashback***

The sedative he had used would neutralize the majority of the effects of his Crime Monster serum with the exception of the growth acceleration part. He needed her to remain in her adult form for a little while longer and he simply stood over her, admiring her while the bodies of his dead helpers were removed and the spot where they'd lain was scrubbed.

He'd stuck her in a gown that was specially designed for his humanoid subjects since, in the nude, she was too much of a distraction to his other assistants. Upon entering his lab again, they had taken one look at the woman on the table and the bloodied men on the floor and had the good sense not to ask questions lest they wind up like their coworkers.

Going back to his original thoughts on how appealing Kyo's daughter was, it was less a comment on her physical attributes as it was an acknowledgement of her abilities. She was incredible and there was a measure of regret that she was too important a test subject to send out into the wild. He was genuinely curious how she would fare against her father and his companions.

Even though her physical strength was not on par with her brother's, her destructive potential was still top notch and his assessment of her was the same as for her twin. Both of them, human-blood and all, were going to grow up to be very dangerous adults. She didn't have the same level of aggression but her ki was impressive and her ability to manipulate her opponent's emotions would ruin anyone who was unsuspecting. Even for those who might know of her gift ahead of time, she would probably prove troublesome.

Subject R, on the other hand, was very much his father's child and while neither of the two were on the same level as their sire in raw ability and power, they would make a deadly combo against most enemies. It was information that the Crimson King would find most illuminating and he intended to apprise him of his findings momentarily. The Elder grabbed up a pen to add a few more touches to his ongoing report, planning to finish it up and hand it in once he returned to his lab and ran a few more tests on the comatose woman.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shinrei awoke to a sense of urgency. A feeling that something was wrong and that there was someplace he needed to be.

However, as he stared up at the ceiling of his room with bleary eyes, he had a hard time bringing his thoughts into focus. Looking at the window, which was streaming afternoon sunlight across his room, he tried to figure out what was wrong with the picture presented to him. Nothing was out of place but he didn't remember laying down for a nap. He preferred to keep himself busy and get things accomplished during the day, unlike his lazy brother.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he pushed himself upright and winced, wondering why he felt as if he'd had a hard day of training. Usually his body only ached so much when he had pushed himself to his physical limits but he always tried to soak in the baths to prevent his muscles from locking up and, looking down, he was not in the habit of going to bed in nothing but his fundoshi.

Frowning, he absently scratched at a persistent itch across his chest and, glancing down, blinked in surprise at the angry red skin that met his gaze. It was obviously a freshly healed wound and, if he had to guess, he'd say that either Saishi or Saisei had patched him up. As he traced the sensitive edges of the wound, he noticed that the skin was still ridged and surmised that it must have been the latter who worked on him since she had the lesser healing abilities of the two.

The longer he stared at the faint scar, the more his sense of urgency grew. There was something in the back of his mind that wasn't quite right, echoes of an emotion that were out of place and yet, prodded him to move. Standing up with painful slowness, he took a few steps and winced, feeling the skin on his chest pull uncomfortably and he realized that he wasn't completely healed. He wracked his head for answers as he dressed himself in one of his spare outfits and it was as he was guiding his tunic over his head that it registered what had happened and why his head was so fuzzy.

He'd fought Hishigi and lost...badly.

The other man had come to take Kyo's little girl away and Shinrei had refused to give her up. He'd poured every ounce of his power into protecting the two children and that echo in the back of his head was a remnant from Aiko. She'd been so scared and so worried about him at the same time and he could just see her, looking back at him while her brother tried to pull her away. The last thing he remembered was losing massive amounts of blood and his own certainty he was going to die.

Looking around, he spied his swords and tucked them into the ties of his tunic, wondering how Saisei had found him and moved him and where the children were now. He wanted to believe that the twins were safe, sound, and out of Hishigi's clutches, but his anxious feelings wouldn't leave him and they only intensified when he saw the piece of paper lying folded in front of his door.

In his head, he could still feel Aiko's fear and he wasn't sure if it was a carryover from her earlier panic or if she was broadcasting them to him from wherever she was. Was she still worrying over him or were she and Ryu still in trouble?

As he unfolded the piece of paper and read the words inscribed there, his heart plummeted to the floor and he quickly folded it up and stuck it beneath his mattress before marching over to the door. His senses told him that the corridor outside was empty and he wasted no time in exiting the room and striking out for Hishigi's lab.

His internal clock was good enough that he easily avoided the soldiers who patrolled the area but his worries weren't about whether or not he would have to fight the normal guard. Rather, he was fighting with himself over going right into the lion's den. The same man whose lab he was heading for had almost killed him a few hours prior and he had to be as stupid as Keikoku to consider going into his lair. However, he knew he would never forgive himself if he allowed anything further to happen to Aiko.

 _The little princess is in trouble with the doctor. You have two hours to get her away, Shinrei-San._

Sakuya's dire words might as well have been emblazoned in the air in front of him and all he could think was that the little girl had been at the mercy of Hishigi's evil for hours now without anyone to stop him from experimenting on and hurting her. He was obligated to save her, first because of his promise to protect her, though his failure at that still stung. The second reason was because she was his pupil and the third one was because she was still a member of the clan. His half-brother often mocked him, telling him that he was a slave to the clan and that they had done nothing but tie him down with duties and obligations.

It was one of the many subjects they often argued about and Shinrei could admit that there were some ties, such as his relationship with Fubuki, that might have to be severed. But he could not bring himself to regret his choice to bind himself to Aiko and Ryu. One was as beloved to him as his own son and the other...made him feel loved, cared for. He was so busy worrying and shouldering the burdens of the clan that he hadn't realized his need to have someone who would be willing to do the same for him.

Of course, he wasn't _in love_ with her – she _was_ a child after all – but he loved her for what she was, a dear girl who did her best to encourage him. True, her efforts were sloppy and not quite good enough to rid him of his baggage. And he wasn't about to tell her everything in his heart because there were places where no child should go, but he liked to think that he might have a bit of forgiveness for the sins he had committed against her family. If it required him to pay for them with his life, then so be it.

It was probably a good thing he was having that conversation with himself as he entered Hishigi's lab because what he saw there would shake him to his core.

Things went well at first. When he entered, the assistants didn't pay him much mind, only glanced his way and went about their business. It was obvious that Hishigi hadn't told anyone that he was supposed to be dead instead of creeping around his lab. As he wandered in deeper, he noticed a lone table with someone lying on it and saw that the men scurrying to and fro gave it a wide berth while glancing at the occupant with looks that were a mixture of fear and desire.

Shinrei found their behavior highly suspicious and, mindful of the fact that he had a deadline in which to find his charge and get her out, he grabbed the arm of a passing assistant who shot him an annoyed look.

Ignoring his scowl, the silver haired man asked directly, "Where is the girl?"

The assistant glared at him before jerking his head towards the form on the table. Bothered by how motionless the person was, the water-user marched over to the table, forcing the man to come along with him just in case there were more questions that needed to be answered.

Once he was at his destination, he took one glance at the woman lying there and dug his fingers into the assistant's arm until the man let out a gasp of pain and asked, "What's wrong? You asked me to bring you to the girl."

"That isn't her. I'm looking for a child," Shinrei said, wondering what game the man was trying to run on him.

"And I'm telling you that that's her. Hishigi-Sama just aged her a bit to test out her abilities."

Positive that the man was lying, he kept a firm grip on his arm and turned his golden eyes to the woman once more, intent on finding out the truth of the matter as quickly as possible. That was where things went sideways. He only meant to give the female lying there a quick perusal but her face caught his gaze and held it. So great was the impact of her visage on him that he felt as if he'd been physically punched in the stomach and he had to find his breath.

He wasn't sure that he was staring at an adult version of Aiko but he was quite certain that there wasn't another woman on the planet who was like the one on that table. Fine-boned features with perfect proportions and lips that carried a slight bow even in repose, as if their owner had a secret that she wasn't telling. Gold-tipped lashes fringed her eyelids and he wondered if the eyes beneath were truly red. Only then would he dare to entertain the thought that, through some sort of sorcery, Hishigi had taken the little girl he'd been guarding so earnestly and transformed her into a goddess.

With some effort, he pulled his eyes away from her entrancing face and took note of her hair. It was much longer but the color was correct - gold from her mother kissed with red from her father. Looking back at her face, he could see a bit more familiarity in her features and he resisted the urge to touch her to see if she were a real person.

The Goyosei member was sure that he could have stared at her for another hour but the assistant's harsh voice interrupted his examination as he said, "Yeah, she caught us up too the first time we saw her after the change. The master didn't tell us what happened after he sent us away but it was pretty obvious that she must have killed the two men who were left behind. I never cared for shamans, no human should be that powerful and I'm glad we exterminated most of them a while back. Still, she was naked when the master called us back. With a sexy girl like that, I bet the men who died got a nice eyeful before they went."

Shinrei listened to the man prattle on and felt disgust welling up in him. The slobbering male was so eager for a peek at the woman's body and showed no care at all for the fact that two of his comrades were now dead. He controlled his temper though since he needed to find out more about the situation.

With the reality of the circumstances encroaching he could not take pleasure in being right in his prediction upon first meeting Aiko that she would grow into a beauty. All he could think was that something extraordinarily cruel had been done to a very sweet and gentle child.

"So, what exactly did Hishigi-Sama do to accelerate her aging process and make her kill your friends?" he asked, although he didn't believe for one second that Aiko had deliberately set out to hurt anyone.

"Oh, he used a little mixture that he's been working on for a while. It's some nasty stuff but it _does_ get results. He used it on the Demon Child's other brat a while back with some pretty wild reactions. As you can see, it brought his daughter to adulthood and, from what I can tell, boosted her powers to crazy levels in the process. Good thing Hishigi-Sama switched off the other side-effects aside from her growth, otherwise the rest of us would probably be dead as well."

He perked up upon hearing that the other effects of the drug that had been fed to the girl were no longer a problem but he didn't understand why her artificial adulthood hadn't been reverted and he didn't miss the hint the man had dropped about them using the serum on Ryu. It didn't take a genius to realize that it must have happened on the day Hishigi had taken the boy away and shut his guardian out of his lab. The anger that had been simmering inside of him ever since the assistant turned his lustful gaze on Aiko rose a few degrees but he still maintained his outward cool.

"When is Hishigi-Sama going to return her to normal?" Shinrei asked, casting his gaze about the room and silently counting the number of men in it. They all seemed very interested in his conversation and he had a feeling that he was starting to arouse their suspicions. It was unusual for anyone, let alone one of the exalted Five Stars, to pay a voluntary visit to Hishigi's dank lab. He would have preferred it if he didn't have to fight his way out but, the longer he was there, the more certain he was that they would get in his way when he tried to take her with him.

The laughter of the man he was questioning put his back up and his body went cold as the assistant replied, "Hopefully not for a good while yet. He's supposed to be mapping out her reproductive systems next and you know what that means. She's already been teasing us with those nips poking out of her gown. We're taking bets on which lucky man gets to lay hands on that piece first. Hishigi-Sama doesn't generally let us do anything with his experiments but what sane man wouldn't want to get a feel of a woman that gorgeous? I'm sure he won't mind a wandering hand here or there."

It took Shinrei a moment to filter through the man's crass words and understand that he was actually looking forward to molesting the woman on the table under the guise of examining her. His voice was so lustful and crude that he had to stifle an urge to reach out and crush the disgusting man's windpipe so that he could writhe on the ground at his feet and get a sense of the helplessness that he was sure Aiko would feel at having her body violated in such a manner.

As he stared at the woman who was really a child, he saw what the man meant about her teasing them. The room was cold and her body was reacting accordingly. He quickly averted his eyes away from her breasts for modesty's sake and looked at the legs poking out from beneath her thin gown. They were slender and pale and he could just imagine the filthy man speaking to him, or even Hishigi himself, prodding about between her thighs.

The thought of anyone stripping away even more of her dignity was unbearable. And the knowledge that they would certainly steal away both her mental and physical innocence in the process made him want to vomit. Although he made no claims to understanding women in general, he knew that such things should be gifted to her true love when she reached her natural physical maturity. Not ruined at the cold hands of The Doctor and his slobbering minions.

As if from a distance, he heard himself saying to the man next to him, "You _do_ realize that even though she's been aged artificially, she's still a little girl inside...right?"

A part of him didn't want to believe that there were actually people who would take advantage of a child in such a way. It would have been wrong if she were really an adult but it was doubly so when every single person in the room _knew_ that Aiko wasn't even four yet. The evidence was staring him in the face but he didn't want to see and understand that the immoral dregs of the Mibu clan had dripped down to Hishigi's lab and congealed there.

He wanted to see some sort of evidence of a conscience, the understanding that there were moral ramifications to what the man was suggesting. Even a speck of remorse would do. Just a taste and he would be inclined to spare the people in that room from his building wrath.

The man he'd put the question to merely shrugged and replied mockingly, "Does one of the high and mighty Five Stars have a problem with the way Hishigi-Sama runs things?"

If he expected to strike fear into Shinrei by invoking the name of one of the Taishirou, he was sorely mistaken. In fact, it was the worst thing he could have done. Shinrei's dislike of Hishigi for what he'd done to him and Ryu had shifted further and further towards hatred now that he was faced with the evidence of his superior's depravity.

People called him cold, hard, and unfeeling behind his back. But none of them, save Fubuki and maybe Keikoku, knew the truth. It wasn't that he didn't have emotions or that he lacked empathy, rather, it was quite the opposite. He strove for control and channeled his emotions into his passion for the clan because he burned so very hot. And at that moment, the flames of righteous indignation were lapping at him, searing away his hesitation and any sense of kinship to the two-legged filth surrounding him that might have stayed his hand from executing them.

Reaching out to touch the angelic face that slept on, blissfully unaware of the wicked machinations of the men around her, he satisfied himself with feeling the warmth of her skin and knowing that he would lift her up and away from this nightmare very soon. The water-user wasn't sure if the good and pure girl he had come to know and care for would come out unscathed but he would honor his promise to protect her to the best of his abilities and, hopefully, return her to her original form. First, he'd pave the way with the blood of her tormentors so that she wouldn't have to sully her hands.

"You don't like the thought of the rest of us getting a taste of this dish but you just want her for yourself, don't you?" the man next to him sneered stupidly, while his cohorts laughed.

Shinrei merely stared at him like the insignificant pest he was, invoking every speck of his noble blood to look down his nose and tell him without words that he was a better man than him in every way.

"Scum," he said softly as he drew his swords and then the man's head slid off of his shoulders while the other assistants behind him gasped in shock and fear.

 _'How quickly the laughter dies down when faced with someone who can fight back,'_ he thought to himself as he moved across the room to his next quarry.

The first man's body hadn't even hit the ground by the time he dispatched the next person. Realizing that they had bitten off more than they could chew, they tried to escape further into the lab but they were all laughably slow. Had Aiko been awake, she would have seen him dancing amidst a storm of blood and bodies and he was grateful that she couldn't see him because the grim set to his features and the sheer violence of the scene would probably have frightened her.

It didn't take him long at all to clear the room and he cleaned his blades on the body of an assistant before tucking them away. Even with an injury that was barely healed, they had been no challenge and he hadn't insulted the Mumyou Saikyou school by calling upon his water spirits to dispatch such weak opponents.

Walking over to Aiko, he was just in time to see her open her red eyes and stare at him without a trace of recognition in her gaze.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For the love of all that is holy, why in the world did Kamijyo-Sensei name Hishigi's serum "Crime Monster"? It sounds like a lost Muppet thug from Sesame Street. -_- Anyways, more on Shinrei and Aiko next chapter and hopefully some more on the other characters too.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I appreciate you taking the time to read. Please let me know what you think.

P.S. Hishigi is still a butthole. ^_^


	34. Kind Soldier and Captive Princess Part 2

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Don't worry, Aiko won't try to kill Shinrei. =) I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter and I apologize since I know there had to have been some typos), **magicalnana** (No worries. Aiko won't remain an adult forever, Akari will see to it. I don't want to completely rob either of Kyo's kids of their childhood, that just isn't my style.), **Azure Shine** (Aiko' will get better soon. Shinrei will make sure she gets safely away from Hishigi's clutches.), **kyoandyuya** (Yup, you guessed what was going on exactly right. Good on you. Lol, sorry, I love Shinrei a lot. Please bear with me. ;-P The part with Yukimura and Sakuya was just a glimpse into what is going on behind the scenes and a way to let Shinrei know to get off his butt and save Aiko.), **Rinfantasy** (Yay, so happy you enjoyed the chapter! ^_^ Shinrei always struck me as a sort of knight. He's also a bit of a martyr too but that's how he was raised. Kyo won't know what to do when he sees Shinrei with a grown version of his little girl.), **DebyMU** (Yeah, Hishigi is horrible but he'll get what is coming to him. Aiko is going to be a gorgeous woman and Kyo is going to have his hands full keeping the guys away from her. Shinrei will get her to safety and Ryu will be alright, he was reacting to Aiko's transformation. Taihaku will help everyone out. No worries.), **ThunderxShadow** (Well now, tell me how you _really_ feel about Hishigi. Don't worry too much, Aiko won't attack her family and she'll be back to normal before long. Still, Hishigi needs to die, yup.), **Animallover** (I'm happy you enjoyed both chapters and that you like the reunion. I thought about having Yuya mention how cute they were but it wasn't the time since Ryu had already been waiting forever to meet her. Can't say it might come up later though. ;-) Hishigi is a horrible man but I didn't want Aiko to overpower him, both because she doesn't need another death on her hands and because he's a Taishirou. It would be odd for her to hurt him when even her father has problems with him. I'm walking that fine line between making her powerful versus overpowered. As for the rest of your comment, adult Aiko is going to give Kyo nightmares and I'm already strongly considering pairing her off with Shinrei when she grows up. It'll have to wait until the sequel though. :hint hint: No worries though, her brief reign of terror is over), **topezhazelwolf** (Glad you are enjoying the story), **Azure** (Don't worry on any front. Aiko isn't going to remember what happened while she was drugged and while she's hazy on who Shinrei is he's...well, still Shinrei and deep down he's someone she trusts.), **J Luc Pitard** (So happy I didn't put you off with the creepiness factor of the last chapter. As for Shinrei hoping she'll pick him at this point, ick, no. She is mentally a child and he knows it and she's going to revert once Akari has access to her. However, I'm not opposed to either of them liking each other in the natural course of things as adults. Shinrei doesn't view her as his child, those feelings are reserved for Ryu since he raised him, and Aiko doesn't treat him like her father. Also, within the context of the Mibu clan and their long lives, it actually wouldn't make since for him to have a hang-up about marrying someone he once knew as a child. Unless the clan members all get married at the same time and produce perfect waves of children who are all the same age and can marry the people within their generation, crossover is bound to happen since they all live for centuries. That said, _any_ romance would have to be done very carefully and as a natural progression of their association. There's more but I can't say without spoiling what happens to everyone in the end.), **lmamc** (Yeah, Hishigi is horrible but Aiko will go back to normal. I'm not quite _that_ mean.)

 **Author's Note:** I know this chapter came out slowly. I've been suffering some serious exhaustion lately, both mentally and physically and I'm finding that my time is not my own as much lately. I'm probably going to slow down my chapter writing to one chapter a week because my schedule is changing and I have to make more time for family. Please don't worry that I'm dropping this fic just because it took me longer than normal to get this one out.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty**

 **Kind Soldier and Captive Princess**

 **Part Two**

She was locked into one long nightmare.

Her head was filled with images and sensations and she felt like her body didn't belong to her. Everything around her was chaotic, a cacophony of sounds, scents, and feelings that made her ache both inside and out. It was as if a door had been opened and she was exposed, unable to shut away the outside world as she was assaulted by constant sensory overload.

 _Everything_ was wrong with her but she didn't understand why. Her movements were unnatural and her thoughts kept slipping through her fingers - faster and faster the more she tried to grasp them. She wasn't herself but she couldn't remember enough about who she was supposed to be or how she was supposed to act to seize control of her identity and escape her torment.

Through it all, _he_ was staring at her. A tall dark demon who watched her with his single, wicked eye. As her mind hovered between past and present, trying to make sense of her surroundings and searching for some semblance of control, one thing was clear to her. He was evil...dangerous and her instincts screamed at her to either get away from him or hurt him before he could hurt her.

The black demon wanted something from her and everytime he touched her or talked to her, pain followed. Even through her jumbled thoughts, she knew that who she had been and who she was at that moment hated him. The agony he caused was part of it but she knew there was more to it. He had robbed her of something important but she couldn't remember what it was and the frustration of not knowing, paired with the fire searing through her veins was overwhelming.

A command was lodged in the back of her mind, whispered instructions from the evil being who was the architect of her torture and, unbidden, her emotions turned towards the murderous. Her consciousness wove in and out and she barely registered the feel of cold stones beneath her feet as she stared at the people around her with a nose filled with the scent of fear and a head filled with a mixture of emotions that weren't her own.

Low in her stomach, a wicked feeling lay coiled and it made its way higher and higher as the seconds ticked by, bringing with it the need to punish the people who were making her ache. She could still hear the demon's order – he wanted her to kill his companions – and since it aligned with her own wants she decided to play along.

The two men were easy. Their emotions were loud, raw, and abrasive – a composition of fear underlaid with a sinister hunger that put her ill at ease. And so she re-wrote them - sighing contentedly as she altered their feelings to suit her whims and filled the males with a consuming need to fight each other to the death. It was so simple for her and a pleasant feeling accompanied the use of her powers, providing a lovely harmonization with the evil thing in her belly that craved retribution.

What was it again?

Ah, that's right. It was her longing to return the pain that they had inflicted on her.

Naturally, that left the demon himself and she couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. He thought he could control her and she was ecstatic at the prospect of proving him wrong, showing him that no one ruled her and that she _would_ pay him back in full for his crimes against her. The wickedness that dwelled deep inside of her – that which they had foolishly dredged up when they removed the barriers that kept her in check - was slowly poisoning her mind and she could only see him as a target for her rage.

He resisted her first assault but she wasn't bothered. She merely dug deeper, reaching for his buried emotions and searching for the keys to his destruction while her fingers twitched with the desire to reach up and gouge out that single cold eye. Her hatred for him fed her and there was so much of it.

She hated the way he touched her with those gloved hands, hurting her while treating her as if she belonged to him. She wanted to crush his throat so that she would never have to listen to that cool voice again – whispery and hard, covered by a thin veneer of politeness. Even though she couldn't remember everything he'd said to her, she knew that his words were every bit as painful as his physical touches. Still, what she despised him for the most was what he had taken away from her. Not just her real self but something else.

What was it he had stolen?

Through the persistent fog in her brain, a hazy image came forth and she was momentarily distracted from her thoughts of revenge by a distant memory of red blood, silver hair, and crushing sadness. It was only a second but her prey finally decided to fight back and she was caught off-guard by a prick in the side of her neck.

The image of the demon wavered in front of her and she tried to hold onto her negative feelings, seeking to use them to continue her fight, but it was to no avail. With an internal cry of frustration, her own darkness turned on her and swallowed her up until her thoughts ground to a halt and she knew no more.

When she woke up next, the air was filled with the smell of blood and there was a god standing over her.

She knew he was divine because, unlike her shadowy and cruel demon, everything about him was light. Even in the dim illumination of the demon's lair, his silver hair gleamed. H is golden eyes were kind as they looked at her and he was pretty, the way one of the kami should be. And it wasn't just his external appearance that she found appealing.

Though her overflowing rage of earlier had abated, her mind was still wide open and she could read him clearly with almost no effort. The god neither feared her nor desired her and she could sense no wish to do her harm. Instead, his feelings towards her were as gentle as his gaze. Concern, relief, protectiveness, determination...there were so many emotions he was giving off and she just knew that, at that moment, they were all centered on her. After the coldness of her surroundings and her treatment at the hand of her one-eyed demon, his regard warmed the depths of her soul and soothed her.

He was not her enemy and, because she knew that, she allowed him to touch her face with his gloved hand while she stared at him in return. After a moment of gazing into those golden eyes and gauging the strength in his fingers, she smiled slightly as she came to a decision.

She wouldn't kill him.

There were no accompanying pangs of regret when she made her decision and so she indulged herself by rubbing her cheek against his hand, seeking more of his warmth like a kitten searching for a pat on the head. She was delighted when the corner of his mouth lifted in return as he reached up to stroke her hair before he spoke. She paused, furrowing her brow as she tried to make sense of what he was saying to her.

His emotions dipped more towards concern and he spoke again, repeating his words slowly until she caught on to what he was saying. He was calling her Love? No, the word "love" was a part of it. Love and Child. Ai and Ko. Aiko. It took half a second for her to realize that he was calling her a specific name and another half a second to realize that it was _her_ name. She was Aiko and Aiko was her. Not Subject A or whatever the black demon wanted to call her.

Something clicked in her head and she licked her dry lips before repeating her name back to the god in a voice that sounded odd to her own ears.

"Aiko."

He nodded and took his hand away from her head and Aiko suddenly felt bereft. Without thinking, she reached out and awkwardly captured his appendage in hers before he could completely withdraw it, annoyed at how clumsy she was and wondering why her hands felt as if they were too big. The god tried to pull his hand away but it was half-hearted and he ceased immediately when she let out a whimper at the perceived rejection of her.

Her emotions were all over the place and she opened her mouth as she clutched at his hand with all the strength she could muster, afraid that he would leave her alone in the darkness for the demon to find and hurt her again. The words to frame her request were on her tongue but it was so hard to get them out, as if the links between her thoughts and speech were barely holding on. The fierce goddess who wanted nothing more than to slay her enemies had disappeared and instead, there was only a girl who wanted to beg the being standing over her to pick her up and take her away to someplace where there was light and life. As far from the dark hole she was in as she could get - the smell of blood, death, and suffering were suffocating her.

She wasn't sure how long she silently begged him to help her but she was finally able to speak when his fingers curled around hers until he was holding her back. It was that comfortingly warm contact accompanied by feelings of caring that gave her the strength to whisper a tormented, "Please."

Please save me. Please stay with me. Please hold me. Please make me feel better. There was a world of need in that one word and she wanted to add more but it was so hard to get the words out and she felt tears welling up because something was wrong with her and she couldn't seem to do anything about it.

"It's alright. I know," his words were soft but she actually understood them and, spurred by the confidence with which they were spoken, she stared at him and peered beyond flesh and bone to the mind behind his pretty face.

He watched her with his intent golden eyes and let her do as she willed, allowing her to see him and understand that, while his mind was open to her, he could feel her emotions as well. He wasn't lying to her. He understood what she wanted because he was listening to her the way she was to him, accepting what she projected because it was what they both required. She needed undeniable proof that someone cared for her and he needed undeniable proof that she was alive and well.

It was a mutually beneficial bond, a light at the end of a long tunnel and Aiko couldn't help herself, she started to cry because she was terrified that he wasn't real and that she would discover that she was still trapped in a nightmare. And she also wept because she couldn't remember anything about herself other than her name and he was the first person in her current existence to show her kindness.

There was only a slight hesitation on the part of the silver-haired god before strong arms pulled her into a tight embrace. His concern for her was overpowering as he spoke softly to her, telling her that he would take her someplace safe and that he would keep his promise to her. Even though she couldn't remember the vow he spoke of and his name escaped her, the feel of him was real and his sympathy for her plight was real and she ate it up, gorging herself on his affection while she wept on his shoulder and poured her pain out on him mentally and literally. And he...he took it all, accepted her ravenous need for physical contact that wasn't geared towards hurting her, and held her so tightly that she almost believed that no one could separate her from him.

In a world that didn't make much sense to her at that moment, she latched onto that thought and allowed it to serve as her comfort.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Even though he was a natural-born hot-head, the softer emotions did not come easily to Shinrei. The thought of his father hugging him was laughable and his brother hated him. He had been resigned to the former and the feeling was mutual for the latter. Even his treatment of Ryu was somewhat reserved and it had taken him years to admit to himself that he loved the boy. Fubuki had shown him a form of caring but, as with all things concerning the Taishirou, it was for the white-haired man's goals versus his pupil's benefit. In Shinrei's case, it was to insure that he grew up to become a loyal and devoted Mibu soldier.

Aside from that, the closest thing he showed to affection, excluding his relationship with Aiko's twin, was the camaraderie he maintained with his fellow Goyosei. Taihaku got special mention for being an extraordinarily kind man whom he looked up to and whose wisdom he valued, especially since Fubuki had shown his true colors.

However, he was currently being forced to learn how to open his heart and become a comforter because his cool persona could not withstand Aiko's driving need for help. If the child version of her had been hard to say "no" to, then the painfully beautiful adult variant was ten times as hard to resist. Vulnerable, terrified, and forlorn, she was the epitome of everything he was supposed to protect as a Mibu soldier and she didn't help things by taking up residence in his head. He couldn't decide if she were being invasive or if he was the one peeking where he should not have.

The pupils of her ruby eyes were dilated and he was quite sure that the drugs Hishigi had put in her system were preventing her from being fully cognizant of her thoughts, actions, and words. Whatever the case, he was feeling _everything_ she was and it was disconcerting, like having an exposed nerve that reacted intensely no matter now gentle the stimuli was. All of the emotions that a person would normally have kept locked away and private were out in the open and it was a miracle that she wasn't curled up on the floor and gibbering like a maniac.

On the flip side, she had reached inside of him and pulled him so far out of his comfort zone that he was at a bit of a loss as to what to do now that she was bawling in his arms. From the moment he had tried to withdraw his hand, she had been controlling his actions. It wasn't deliberate but her feelings were so deeply entwined with his that he found himself responding to her without needing to hear a word pass through her lips. When he pulled away, he could feel her sense of abandonment and had held her hand in response – even enduring her crushing grip since she was actually quite strong - because he couldn't stand the thought of causing her further pain.

Even now, he could feel small aches on his arms and spine where Hishigi had poked her with his needles, a reflection of her own injuries on his person. However, they paled in comparison to the other feelings, the scars of the heart that had taken a vibrant little girl and locked her away in a pretty, grown-up shell that couldn't function well enough for her to say more than one word at a time.

As Shinrei listened to Aiko's pitful sobs and weathered the storm of her pain, fear, confusion, and longing for something she probably didn't even remember, he couldn't help but feel his hatred grow for Hishigi and what he had done. How could anyone look at or touch such an innocent child and go out of their way to ruin her? He just couldn't wrap his head around it and, truthfully, he didn't want to for fear that it would taint him as well.

Instead he focused on what he needed to do and pictured what the girl in his arms was supposed to be like. Bright, cheerful, always checking up on him and Ryu, constantly trying to remember that men were "handsome" instead of "pretty", always eager to learn more moves and practicing what he showed her with a childish grace and enthusiasm that he knew would eventually even out in the years to come. He would have loved to see the grown-up version of her performing a dance from the Mumyou Saikyou school, but only after she had blossomed over time as was proper.

The only good thing about what Hishigi had done was that he now knew that she was destined to be a phenomenal beauty, but of what use was that when she was shivering and crying like a wounded animal? He was half-afraid that he would break her by holding her too tightly but he couldn't quite bring himself to let her go because her need for him was so poignant and he felt guilty that he hadn't been able to spare her this torment.

Oh, how he wished he had more power.

The power to protect the people he cared for and to return Aiko's smile and mental faculties.

It had been at his fingertips but Fubuki was right, he was still weak. And now, he regretted how cold he had been in the beginning when Kyo's daughter tried to show him affection in the only way she knew how. He'd fussed at her for complimenting him and always being underfoot but he would have given anything to bring her back. She had only been trying to make him happy and cheer him up. Who knew that their positions would reverse and he would have to use what she taught him to do the same for her?

He held onto his regrets for a long moment before reluctantly pushing her away. They were running out of time and he needed to relocate her. She gave him a stricken look but settled down when he smiled and gave her a pat on her head, making sure she could sense his unwavering determination and concern in the place she occupied inside of his head. Now that he had the girl in hand – he refused to think of her as a woman in these extremely unnatural circumstances – he turned his thoughts to the rest of the information Sakuya had imparted in her letter.

According to her, Kyo and company were enroute to the Crimson King's castle and there wasn't much choice for him but to go and meet up with them. Eventually, word would get around that he was not quite as dead as he was supposed to be and he didn't want to hang around and fight his own people if he didn't have to.

Naturally that left him with a conundrum. He had to move Aiko but he needed clothes. The gown Hishigi had dressed her in was extremely thin and when he hugged her, his gloved-hands had encountered a great swathe of skin in the back since it was apparently only intended for token modesty while still giving the Elder access to her body. Swallowing his disgust, he shuffled the thought off onto the growing heap of indignities he needed to pay the man back for, a pile of misery that his superior had inflicted on both himself and his two small charges.

As he stared at the girl and tried to figure out what he could dress her in, she stared back at him with teary, haunted eyes and he knew it would be suicide for him to take her as is. If he showed up in front of Kyo with a half-naked, woebegone, adult version of his little girl - who most closely resembled an ultra-refined version of his beloved-bordering-on-obsessed-with human wife – Kyo would gut him, no questions asked.

Looking around him at the bodies on the floor, he opted to grab a sash that wasn't too badly stained from his bloody rampage before removing his own swords and waistband and sliding his blue tunic over his head, leaving him in the close-fitting blue shirt he wore beneath and his loose white pants. Handing the clothes to her, he proceeded to tie the dead man's sash around his waist and tucked his swords where they belonged. Turning to Aiko, he had to bite back a smile because she had his tunic pressed to her nose and was sniffing it with a look of fascination.

Having realized long ago that both of Kyo's children had a very keen sense of smell that they relied on frequently, he let her indulge herself for a second before taking the garment from her and draping it over her head. Lifting her arms and holding them suspended for a second so that she understood that he needed her to hold the position herself, he picked up his sash and tied it around her waist to close the two open sides of his tunic. Standing back to look at his handiwork, he noted that, while his clothes were a bit big on her, her bust made up for that fact and she was now more-or-less decent if he ignored her lack of undergarments.

Aiko still had her hands up in the air and he gently eased them down with a grin at her obedience, noting that she was finally taking in the sight of the dead men littered around the room. He felt bad that she was seeing his handiwork but she surprised him by tilting her head to the side as a look of concentration appeared on her lovely features.

Her throat worked for a moment before she glared at one of the bodies and, pointing at it, said, "Bad."

He wasn't sure if she meant that them being dead was bad or that she realized that they had been bad men but, considering what she had just been through, he opted to go with the latter and replied, "Yes, the bad men are gone."

It was the right thing to say because her emotions took on a pleased hue and he didn't feel one speck of remorse for killing them. Even with her thoughts as scattered as they so obviously were, she knew that men like them had hurt her and that they couldn't do so now.

Those red eyes turned away from the carnage and focused on him once more and he gave a start when her hand shot out and she poked at the symbol tattooed on the right side of his neck. She traced the symbol for water that marked his status as a member of the Goyosei and remembered when she had asked him what it stood for at the beginning of their training. It was a memory that took on a hue of sadness when he realized that she couldn't even ask him properly a second time. However, there was a small spark of recognition in her gaze and it grew as she reached up to tug at a lock of his silver hair.

"Shi...," she said it so quietly that he thought he had imagined it until she repeated it.

"Shi...," he was sure that she was trying to recall his name and eagerly filled in the blank for her.

"It's Shinrei. I'm Shinrei," now wasn't the time to add his usual suffix and formality sounded completely out of place when she was sitting in front of him draped in his is oversized tunic.

Aiko smiled and repeated his name softly, "Shinrei,"

There was such warmth transmitted through her voice and the link she had attached to him that he felt his face heating up slightly. Whatever she was recalling about him at the moment, it was pleasant and prompted her to lift her arms up, silently asking him to pick her up like she had on the day they first met and she was crying because she was in a strange place away from her family.

The parallel wasn't lost on him and, as he had then, he answered her silent request and picked her up, although this time it was with one arm at her back and another beneath her knees to accommodate her size. Her form might have been that of an adult's but, for a split second as she looked up at him, he caught a glimpse of the girl who was sleeping behind those brilliant eyes, waiting for someone to wake her up and return her to normal.

Glancing around the room one more time, he took his leave, making his way with all due haste towards the fifth gate and, hopefully, Kyo.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Ah, I'm soooo torn! I just can't handle it!" Akari wailed and Yuya rolled her eyes as she shifted Ryu in her arms. He was stirring - she suspected that he was going to wake up shortly – and she really didn't want his first sight to be of the shaman in full form.

"It's not that big a deal, Akari-San," she said drily.

Once the rest of their group caught up to them, her pink-haired friend had taken one look at her son and gone into a fit of gushing praise over the miniature version of "his Kyo" and half-faints when he looked from the tiny version to the full-grown one. Yuya couldn't fault him because there was something incredibly cute about her deadly husband having a small and decidedly less dangerous doppelganger. Bon was having a good laugh about seeing a short version of the Thousand Killer running around and Okuni and Mahiro kept looking from her son to their respective love-interests with considering looks. It was the sort of expression a woman got when she was wondering what her child might look like if she had it with the man she desired.

Being a smart woman, the bounty huntress was keeping out of it since she was quite sure that things would work themselves out. Okuni was gorgeous and determined and Mahiro, according to Muramasa, was a very pleasant person before his wife's death, when her issues with Kyo were born. She was all for every woman finding her one true love but she didn't have time to concern herself with matchmaking when her own children needed her help.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Kyo headed her way and nudged Akari to the side who went with relative grace and only a minimum of moaning about the loss of being the mother of Kyo's children. Yuya groaned and the shaman winked a violet eye at her and stuck his tongue out before sauntering off to give them privacy and torment Akira who was talking with Taihaku.

The young woman blinked and chuckled to herself, realizing that he was messing with her again. Shaking her head at the antics of her bizarre friend, she turned her attention to her husband who was staring down at their son.

"Do you think he'll be alright, Kyo?" she asked, stroking his black head out of habit.

"He'll be fine. I came over because he's about to wake up. His ki is normal and I don't think he'll try to attack you again."

"I hope not," she replied even though she was still worried.

A warm hand touched the top of her head and she reached up with her free hand to clasp her husband's fingers, accepting the strength he was offering her.

"You know what Kyo?" she said quietly.

"Hmm?" he replied.

"I love you and I'm happy you gave me such beautiful children."

His fingers twitched but he said nothing and she continued on, "Were you this cute when you were little?"

She could practically hear the smirk in his voice as he tugged his hand free and replied, "Woman, you are married to one of the sexiest men in the world. Of course I was amazing, even as a child."

Yuya chuckled and said, "We've _got_ to work on that arrogance of yours, Kyo."

"No, we don't. You like me this way because it's a part of me. And you really, _really_...," she gave a start when his hot breath touched her ear and she realized that he was now kneeling next to her,"...like me."

"Of course I do, didn't I just tell you that I love you? Besides, I like to think the feeling is mutual and that you really, _really_ like me too," she said, feeling a bit breathless at his proximity and hazarding a glance at her friends to make sure they were still preoccupied.

He made a sound in the back of his throat before something warm and wet slid across the skin behind her ear, making her shudder as he replied, "It's a little stronger than 'like' for me, woman. Sometimes I wonder how I can exist in the same room as you without cutting your clothes off or running my hands up those pretty thighs just to make you shiver the way you did just now."

"Kyo, it's not the time," Yuya replied, flushing at his words and glancing down at their son.

"Why? I'm just telling you how I feel. If you can tell me you love me so easily, why can't I do it my way?"

That gave her pause. Kyo never said things he didn't mean and she didn't expect the planets to line up in just the right way again for him to directly tell her that he loved her. As always, her husband was the most honest when he could express himself physically and she smiled as she said, "You're right and I wouldn't have you any other way. It's just, a part of me wonders when we'll get to that point again."

"As soon as I can manage it," he replied, "and at the end of it, we can make more."

She turned to look at him, frowning because she didn't quite follow him and he deliberately refrained from looking at her as he reached out with a hesitant hand and tapped Ryu against his soft cheek, silently answering her question.

"Sooo, you're starting to like the idea being a father now that you have a clone of yourself on the loose?" she asked in a half-joking tone but Kyo's voice was serious when he replied.

"He's strong and you...were almost beautiful when you were holding him. I just thought that I'd be alright with putting that look on your face as many times as you want."

He still refused to look at her and she realized that he was a bit embarrassed about telling her that big, bad Kyo was soft on his own child and that he was giving her carte blanche on how many offspring they had in the future.

Reaching up, she tucked a strand of his wild hair behind his ear and said, "I'd be proud to take whatever you give me Kyo. Whether it's having kids or having you," she injected just the right amount of innuendo in the second half of her last sentence to make him smirk and give her a heated look.

"Be careful what you ask for, Yuya, I just might give it to you. Still, I _do_ have excellent taste in women. And a good one like you will make sure he doesn't turn out like me, right?"

It was vague but she could see just a fragment of his worry, the secret reason he was shy about touching their son and she dignified him by not bringing his fear out into the open, opting instead to hold his hand and say, "We both have our good points, I think we can muddle along well enough together."

His gaze was unreadable but his hand squeezed hers tightly and a tiny grin played around his lips. Ryu chose that moment to let out a low moan before opening his eyes, blinking sleepily at the sight of his parents hovering over him and gifting them with a beautiful smile.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I don't know why but writing this chapter and describing Shinrei's regrets made me all teary-eyed. T_T I guess because realizing you didn't treat someone as well as you should have and that you might not get a chance to make things right is particularly painful. And poor Aiko is drugged out of her mind. =( She'll be alright in the end though.

Hopefully the ending to this was as cheerful as I wanted it to be. The last chapter and the beginning of this were so dark that I needed a little romance to brighten things up. Thanks as always for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	35. Light Spirits and Heavy Questions

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (Glad you like the way Shinrei is maturing as a person and Kyo is definitely not going to take kindly to seeing him with his baby.), **Animallover** (Shinrei would probably blush so hard that he'd catch on fire if he knew what Aiko was thinking when she woke up and saw him, lol. I'm also happy you like Shinrei's thoughts on Kyo's love for Yuya, I put that in there specifically to make my readers smile since the last two chapters were so miserable. I'll give you a spoiler on Kyo's reaction to Aiko, she's going to wrap him around her finger. ;-) I'm trying to teach Shinrei how to have more empathy, it's a necessity in marriage. I'm happy the idea of him pairing off with Aiko in the distant future isn't horrible to you. I'm actually a stickler for canon pairings but if the character is single at the end of the series, I consider them fair game.), **DebyMU** (Thank you so much for being supportive and understanding of my personal circumstances. I'm happy you like the emotions in the chapter and I really look forward to Kyo seeing Shinrei with his daughter for the first time since I can make more comedy. I will always love how much Kyo loves Yuya.), **Azure** (I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and didn't find it awkward. Hishigi has a lot to answer for and I look forward to the time when Kyo has a go at him.), **lmamc** (Thanks!), **Azure Shine** (There's not much to say that wasn't covered in our PM's but thanks for letting me know your thoughts and please rest assured to I appreciate you taking the time to let me know what does and does not work for you. Also, to address your final PM, I don't have the plot infrastructure in place to do a soul transfer and many of the same reasons why Saisei can't be brought back to life still apply. I have no one on Kyo's side who would do it and I'd still have to find someone living who would be willing to give up their body to her and make a plausible reason why they would do so in the first place when, to them, she's already "alive" when she shouldn't be. However, since it's clearly very important to you, I think you should consider writing a fic about it. Remember, fanfiction writing is half about making your dreams come true.), **magicalnana** (You know me, I can only maintain sadness for so long before I need to brighten things up. ^_^ And yes, Yuya will get her turn on the Kidnap Express. Toot, toot!), **kyoandyuya** (At this point, I'm trying to get Shinrei to learn how to have to more empathy for others since that was always a flaw of his in the manga, he's so rigid and Aiko is forcing him to learn how to be a comforter. He isn't immune to her beauty but he's not thinking of her in a romantic capacity just yet. I can't wait for Kyo to see Shinrei running around with his baby girl, I need more humor after these past two chapters.), **Guest** (I actually pity both Fubuki and Hishigi because they started the Mibu project with a noble goal in mind but it degraded as they realized just how bad off their people were. They are a prime example of the road to hell being paved with good intentions and, in the end, they were so set in their ways that they couldn't go back.), **topezhazelwolf** (I'm so happy you are enjoying the story and the way I've been trying to pick up the pace.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-One**

 **Light Spirits and Heavy Questions**

"Are you alright, Ryu-Chan?" Yuya asked as soon as her son woke up and he stared at her for a moment with his smile still in place before nodding slowly.

"What's the smile for, brat? You almost took a chunk out of your mother before I put you down," Kyo said in a hard tone but his eyes betrayed his concern.

"I'm sorry, Tou-san. I didn't mean to. It was just...," Ryu stumbled over his words for a few seconds before sighing and, with a tiny grin, explaining, "This is like a dream. I have a mother and father. You didn't go away while I slept."

His voice was filled with wonderment and Yuya's heart just about melted. Even his bewilderment was a reflection of his father's – the same look he had when she told him she loved him - and she just wanted to hug the both of them. She settled for making a pleased sound low in her throat because she couldn't quite contain herself.

Kyo, who was clearly uncomfortable with having a mini version of himself saying such emotional things, frowned and replied, "What's with the weird noises woman? You only make that sound when I use my mouth to..."

The bounty huntress elbowed him in the ribs before he could finish the lewd statement and cleared her throat, motioning her head towards their son and shooting him a meaningful look.

He returned it with a glower and folded his arms across his chest as he replied, "Knowing my techniques won't hurt him."

"Kyo, he's still a child! There will be plenty of time to give him pointers on lovemaking…," she actually blushed and glanced at their child, who was watching their interaction with interest, before continuing, "…when he's old enough to do something about it."

Her husband stared at her as if she were a curiosity and she wondered, not for the first time, what sort of upbringing he'd had where he didn't bat an eyelash at covering raunchy subjects in front of his own child. It wasn't that she was opposed to explaining where babies came from to their kids, but she at least understood the difference between letting them know in stages versus giving out all of the nitty gritty details of what happened between men and women. She could see why Kyo insisted on her help in insuring that his son didn't turn out like him, moments like this made it abundantly clear that the two of them still operated with a completely different set of moral codes.

Still, since she knew what she'd signed up for when she married him, Yuya didn't berate him for his ignorance, she just sighed, patted him on the shoulder and said, "You'd better be grateful I think you're cute otherwise I'd have a lot more to say about your lack of common sense."

As she stood and helped Ryu to his feet, her spouse wrinkled his nose as if he'd smelled something particularly disgusting and replied gruffly, "I kill people for fun, woman. Nothing about me is _cute_!"

Kyo sneered the last word and, like a shark smelling blood in the water, Yuya saw an opportunity to get him back for all the times he teased her. A playful smile touched her lips and she thrilled internally when both her husband and son's faces took on a slightly wary look. It should have been illegal for them to be so adorable and she was ecstatic to be the proud owner of two such amazing males.

So why not let _everyone_ know just how she felt?

It was probably relief at knowing that her son was back to normal and that they wouldn't have to fight Taihaku, whom she really liked, but her spirits were feeling a lot lighter. Her improved mood was reflected in a mischievous grin as she said, "But Kyo- _Chan_ , you don't see yourself the way I do."

Her husband visibly cringed at the cute suffix she appended to his name and the high-pitched tone in which she said it and she only smiled wider before lifting her head and projecting her voice as she continued, "Why, just seeing you next to our adorable little boy, is enough to send me into fits. The two of you are _so_ much alike, I'm fighting to decide which one is cuter. You even have the same facial expressions. Isn't that right, Akari-San?"

Never one to pass up a good joke, the shaman all but floated over to stand next to them. As if the two of them had scripted things ahead of time, he clasped his hands together and replied in a particularly girlish tone, "Oh, yes! There's enough appeal between the two of them to make Akari-Tan faint!"

He placed the back of his gloved hand to his forehead and made a show of staggering, as if the sight of Kyo and Ryu was too much to bear and, predictably, the other two males frowned. One in annoyance and the other in confusion but still so similar that Yuya and Akari burst into laughter. Father and son exchanged a glace, realized that their faces really did look the same no matter what expression they wore and both turned away in mild embarrassment at proving the laughing duo right. Without looking, they each reached up and smoothed a hand over their hair in a brooding gesture.

It was too much, the bounty huntress and the shaman laughed even harder while the rest of their friends joined in on the mirth as well and Kyo muttered something nasty under his breath before straightening his spine and marching off. Akari slid an arm over Yuya's shoulder, using her for support while he tried to regain his strength and she wiped amused tears from her eyes, enjoying how light her body felt.

Even though she still had no clue what had come over Ryu, save knowing that Aiko was on the other side of it, and though there were still plenty of obstacles between her, Kyo, and bringing down the Mibu so that they couldn't hurt anyone else, she actually felt pretty good. Her daughter was still alive, her son was a delight, and her friends were wonderful. She'd been so worried of late that she hadn't been able to muster up her usual high-spirits but dwelling on the bad parts wouldn't fix things either.

Yes, she wanted her little girl back. And, of course, she wanted to be done with the clan so she and Kyo could go off and live happily ever after and have plenty of children in the years to come. But stewing wouldn't help and she accepted the moment of merriment for the gift that it was, something to keep her optimism strong and give her the strength to do what needed to be done. For all his grumbling, Kyo would be right there with her and she smiled softly at his rigid back, absently reaching out to clasp Ryu's hand once Akari finally let her go and walked over to Kyo, still snickering beneath his breath all the way.

"Is Tou-San angry?" her son asked quietly and she shook her head as she looked down at him.

"No, he's just a bit shy sometimes. I don't think he ever expected you to be so much like him."

"Is that bad?"

Yuya chuckled and replied, "Not in the slightest. In fact, I think it will do him a world of good. Still, if we want to finish fixing our broken little family I have a few questions to ask you."

He nodded and she asked, "Can you still sense your sister?"

"Yes. Ai-Chan is always with me."

"Good. And is she alright for now?"

"I think so. She's a lot calmer and not as scared as she was before. She's almost happy right now, I think," his face took on a bemused look, as if he found that fact to be wholly unexpected.

"Just go with it, Ryu-Chan. Why don't you give me a few more details about how you felt before you went to sleep and we'll try and figure out what happened from there, hmm?"

The boy nodded again slowly and she listened intently while he explained to her why he suddenly felt so murderous and solidified her desire to ensure that the Mibu answered for their crimes against her family.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was warm.

No matter when she picked it up or how she held it, the tiny blade radiated heat through its sheath like it was actually a living, breathing thing - the exact temperature of a person's body.

 _'I should get rid of it,'_ Tokito thought as she turned the weapon over in her hands. She had told herself that a hundred times since she lifted it from the grubby hands of Kyo's daughter but she knew that, even after a hundred and one self-recriminations, she wouldn't.

Instead, all she could think was that she had every right to have the weapon. It belonged to her father and therefore to her the same way Hokuto Shichisei did. Even if she hated the man, his craftmanship was exquisite and she wondered if the tiny kodachi had secrets hidden within it as well, like her demon blade. A part of her wanted to go back to see her horrible father, to pump him for more information about the blade and poke fun at him again for putting his hope in a man who would be dead before long but the rest of her quailed at the prospect.

She didn't quite have the nerve to look into that steady blue gaze and the face that was close enough to her own to make her skin crawl. Just being in his presence made her feel small and inexperienced, like she really _was_ a child instead of a grown woman with a major inability to stomach the sight and feel of her real body.

The anger that was always with her tormented her, mocking her for her fear and uncertainty and urging her to show the former Elder what was what by taking his tiny blade and driving it into his black heart. But, she tightened her grip and pulled the kodachi closer until it was pressed to the spot between her painfully bound breasts, it was _so warm_ and she had grown so used to being cold. Hate, rage, rejection...her life centered around those and the man who had abandoned her so long ago.

Tokito lived her life in misery until Fubuki took her under his wing and now, instead of pain, she was comfortably numb...to everything. Something niggled at her in the back of the head, a sense of wrongness but she ignored it the same way she ignored everything that didn't fit with her views of the world. On some level, she understood that it wasn't healthy to look at everything with complete apathy and that gaining her happiness through the suffering of others was an empty endeavor but it was the only way she could feel anything of late.

She had a list of things she wanted to accomplish. First, Kill Kyo and make sure Muramasa watched or knew about it so that he could see that _she_ was the better child and that he understood what he had passed up by leaving her behind. Then, she would work with Fubuki and insure that inferior humanity knew and bowed to the might and splendor of the Mibu. There was a whole world outside of the clan that would learn to acknowledge and fear her. And at the end of it, Fubuki would praise her and maybe the king as well, even though the very thought of having his full attention on her a second time made her tremble.

They were all admirable goals but, she glanced to the side and stared at the full-length mirror she kept in her room, would it satisfy her? The mirror was one of her few nods to feminine vanity and her portal to torture whenever she decided to relax the seals maintaining her childish form in order to look at her true form. She'd broken it so many times in fits of anger and revulsion because she couldn't stand to see visible proof of her womanhood. It ruined the illusion that Fubuki and Hishigi had crafted for her of being a boy, threatened her hard-won place in the clan. As Muramasa's lost son, she had a place and respect but as his daughter...she couldn't bear to think of how things might have turned out.

She'd shown Fubuki her true form once and the experience did not bear repeating. He had looked at her, with her horribly female features and her stupid ungainly breasts, and there had been such surprise and distaste on his face that she had immediately felt low, dirty. Afterwards, she bound her unnaturally small bust even tighter and endured the physical pain that was her constant companion while her body constantly begged her to set it free, to accept reality so that she could breathe.

The young woman felt smothered, suffocating beneath her own self-loathing but holding her course because she could not handle the thought of Fubuki rejecting her as well. She would never forget what he had said after the disastrous first time he saw her as a woman.

 _"You look just like Muramasa. Please do not show me that form again."_

His words had been polite but there was steel in his tone and she had done as he asked because he was _her_ Fubuki-Sama, _her_ savior and the savior of the Mibu clan. No matter what he asked, she did it without question because, without him, she was only the outcast child of Muramasa with a face that would never let her forget her origins.

 _"You look just like her."_

The memory came to her suddenly and she nearly dropped the kodachi as snippets of her conversation with her father played out in her head.

 _"I've been told that I look like you."_

 _"Oh, you favor me a bit but, no, it's Hitoki that you look like the most. People used to mistake us for twins, you know."_

That was right, she finally had a name for her mother. Hitoki. How had Muramasa described her?

 _"She was beautiful and she loved to grow things. It was a gift she had and you wanted to be just like her."_

Gardening was a far cry from her current goals involving death and mayhem. It all sounded so gentle and feminine but...she wondered what it would have been like to have a mother like that. Kind, beautiful and – she remembered the soft look in Muramasa's eyes and voice as he spoke of her – wonderful. If her mother had been around, would her father have abandoned her? Did he leave her to rot because she reminded him of his lost wife? If only she could figure out a way to get her sire to tell her the truth but he hadn't been wrong when he made his assessment of her ability to accept what he had to say.

 _"Because I don't think you could handle the truth if it came from me and because you have lost enough."_

 _She let out a snort and turned her back on him as she said, "Don't pretend to care now, Muramasa. That ship sailed years ago. If you had anything important to tell me, you wouldn't have left."_

 _"There it is, that fear of the unknown. You want the truth but you hide from it," he sighed heavily and said, "but it is who you were raised to be. However, if you ever do get the courage to seek out the truth, you should speak to Fubuki and Hishigi."_

Tokito had wanted to argue with him because she _knew_ he was trying to get her to question herself but he was so serene and she hadn't been able to detect a trace of deceit in either his voice or face. And then he sealed it with his last few sentences.

 _"The fact of the matter is that you can now ask them the appropriate questions now that you have had a chance to speak to me."_

 _"The next time you speak with Fubuki, ask him two questions. Ask him who Hitoki is and what her relationship is to the Mibu Reconstruction Project."_

On the surface, the inquiries sounded harmless enough. But the fear of the unknown wouldn't leave her. What doors would she open up by asking Fubuki about her mother? And why did he avoid speaking about her altogether? Something about the situation just didn't click and she stood there for long minutes while her desire to remain in Fubuki's good graces warred with her hunger to know more.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, she decided that she still didn't like what she saw.

A pretty "boy", with blue-green eyes full of questions and clutching "his" hated father's kodachi to "his" chest because it was comforting on some level, looked back at her. From what and for what, she could not say with regards to the consolation the weapon gave her, but she felt pathetic for grasping at the warmth it provided and that simply would not stand. There was nothing for it but for her to ask Fubuki directly about this Hitoki who was supposed to be her mother and maybe then the pieces of the puzzle would finally fall together in a way that made sense.

Nodding at her reflection, she decided that it was for the best to reject Muramasa's little blade and resist its siren call until she had her head on straight. However, when it came time to put it down and leave to find her answers, her movements were still gentle as she laid it down on her bed.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I have a feeling that I should take the two of you with me," Taihaku said as he stared at Yuya and Ryu with his kind golden eyes.

She smiled at him and reached out to place a hand on his massive arm, remembering fondly his concern and care of four years past when she felt as if her life were falling apart because Kyo was gone and she was pregnant and scared. Now, the head of the Goyosei was willing to turn his back on his own clan and help them out with his knowledge and rally aid to their cause. She was sure that Aiko and Ryu played a large part in his willingness to help because, watching him interact with her son, it was obvious that he had a soft spot for children. There was no way he could remain unaffected by the actions that had brought them all to this point.

"I appreciate the offer, Taihaku-San, but I'm feeling really restless about seeing my daughter again. I won't be of much use to you and I'm pretty sure Kyo prefers not to let me out of his sight."

A grunt sounded off to the side and Yuya smiled at hearing her husband's gruff agreement with her statement. Her other half wasn't about to send his wife and child off where he couldn't see or protect them. It was one thing if Taihaku were heading out of the clan to get help but he was going to work at it from the inside which meant that the Mibu were still a factor.

The giant sighed and said, "I understand but...you will take care of yourself, won't you? Nozomu loved you a great deal and I still hate the thought of someone who was so precious to him being in danger."

"I'll be fine. With everything the clan has put me and my family through, I don't think there's anything else that could shock or scare me more than what they've already done," she punctuated it with a tiny laugh but he simply stared at her with concern written all over his face.

After a while he said softly, "Don't get too over-confident, Yuya-San. I once thought that myself but the clan is full of surprises. The same rules of normalcy that apply to regular mortals don't exist here. The laws of nature can be and often _are_ bent by the Mibu and things will only get crazier as you go up the chain of command. The Taishirou are nothing to sneeze at and neither are the guards that serve them. Even as a member of the Goyosei, my power is nothing to them, doubly so because of what I am. Remember Ryu's story about Shinrei's fight to save your daughter from Hishigi?"

Yuya nodded and he continued, "I can guarantee you that Shinrei would have put forth his best effort and that the fight still lasted only a minute, maybe two at the most. And it would only last that long because my subordinate is extremely disciplined and determined when it comes to protecting the people he cares about."

The bounty huntress still had a hard time reconciling the Shinrei she knew with the man Taihaku and Ryu spoke of with such overt fondness but she was willing to keep an open mind as long as he didn't look down his nose at her and Kyo again or attempt to kiss her. That would earn him a bullet in the balls for sure.

A comment Taihaku had made finally registered with her and she asked, "What do you mean by 'doubly so because of what you are'? I'd think that, as a Mibu clan member, you'd have grown up with all sorts of weird stuff going on. Surely you would be used to things by now?"

"Oh, I'm used to the ways of the clan _now_ but I was constantly being shocked by the things they could do when I first came here. You see, no one in the clan knows this save for the king and the Taishirou, but I'm a human like you."

Yuya gasped and the sound was echoed by her friends and son who were now giving Taihaku their full attention.

"How did a human manage to gain such a high position in the clan?" she asked once her shock wore off.

"I've been here for quite some time. Long enough to hone my skills to the requisite level."

"And how long is 'quite some time'?"

He smiled and replied, "Long enough for normal humans to live to old age and die many times over. The Former Crimson King picked me up years ago after I wandered into Aokigahara after a bad battle. I was dying from my wounds but he saved me and I became the head of the Goyosei to repay his kindness. Those were wonderful days, back before the Death Disease was running rampant and sent the Mibu in a panic."

The warrior's eyes were soft but sad at the same time and Yuya could see the years weighing on him. What must it have been like to live among people who believed themselves to be gods, only to be faced with death and disease, something that humans knew and understood so well? Taihaku would understand well the prospect of facing his own mortality but his adopted family wouldn't and she felt a twinge of empathy for them.

There was no excusing what they had done, but if she as a human fought hard to preserve her own life, what about people who lived for hundreds or even thousands of years? How would someone who was eternally youthful and beautiful, who could perform acts that would appear miraculous to mere humans, react to the knowledge that they would eventually fade away to nothing because of an incurable illness?

She knew the answer to that last question. Hadn't she spent enough time in her father-in-law's company over the years to see how much it pained him? Hadn't she heard clearly his frustration at being unable to keep Ryu out of Mibu hands even though he had the power because he _knew_ that he'd be rendered useless to both Aiko and herself afterwards? And there were more times than she dared to count where he'd lain in bed for hours because he was in so much pain.

"I can see a glimmer of understanding in your gaze, Yuya-San. I cannot, in good conscience, approve of the course the Mibu have taken and my heart goes out to your daughter for what she is enduring but I also know that fear can make people do things that they would never have considered before. I understand that the kind king I once knew is no more but I hope you and your husband will not find the Mibu completely irredeemable. And I beg you to keep that in mind when you see Shinrei next."

"I wasn't planning on doing anything to him," she replied, "Ryu already told me what he did for Aiko. Kyo is another story though."

"Of course, I just ask that you look before you leap. And Ryu," he bent down and placed a hand on her son's head, "you'll look after your mother, won't you?"

"Yes, Taihaku Ji-San," the boy said with solemn eyes.

"Good boy," he looked over at Kyo and said, "Treasure your family, Kyo, they are a warrior's greatest strength."

Kyo merely shrugged and replied, "Worry about yourself old man and stay away from Fubuki and the rest. I don't trust them not to stick a sword in your back."

Taihaku nodded and replied, "I'll keep that in mind and I ask you to take care. Unlike Keikoku, I stuck around to see who would be at each gate. You'll be fighting Saishi and Saisei next and after that is...Chinmei."

Noting the hesitation in his voice, Yuya asked, "I know he's horrible but is Chinmei going to be a big problem again?"

"All I can say about Chinmei is that you should expect the unexpected. He's one of the strongest fighters in the clan and even I don't know how powerful he truly is."

"But you're in charge of the other Stars," she said incredulously.

"Yuya-San, there are secrets within secrets inside the clan. My position is only partly based on strength, the other part is my ability to lead and garner respect. I'm not entirely sure that I would even survive a fight with Chinmei."

That was heavy food for thought but Yuya didn't have time to question him further because he said, "Now, I think it's time for you to head off. I still wish I could take you with me but my route requires me to enter the labyrinth. In theory, it would shorten your time to get to the castle as well but the guardian of the labyrinth isn't likely to let a group your size pass through her territory unchallenged and she's a handful on the best of days. Better I put my life on the line than all of yours."

Yuya wondered if he was referring to Shihoudou. She didn't remember much of the woman except for the fact that she had a foul mouth and only took an interest in her because she was pregnant with Kyo's children at the time. Still, if Taihaku said she was dangerous, she would take his word on it. Besides, taking the route through the gates was more or less a straight shot and she figured they would have an easier time of locating Aiko.

While she was musing on that, a soft voice broke into her thoughts and said, "I'd like to come with you Taihaku-San."

Whirling around, she stared at Sasuke, who had stepped up to stand on the other side of her and was staring at the older man with an unreadable gaze.

"The route I plan to take is quite dangerous, young man," Taihaku said, "It's not for the faint of heart."

"Don't underestimate me. I can handle myself just fine," the ninja replied, placing a hand on Shibien's hilt.

The giant's golden eyes gleamed in recognition and he stared at the boy for a long moment, no doubt wondering how someone so young could wield such a wicked blade. His stare took on a questioning tone as he moved it over to Kyoshiro and the other man nodded curtly, confirming that he was no longer Shibien's master.

"Well, that's an interesting development," Taihaku mused, half to himself, before nodding and saying, "Fine, you can come. Although I _am_ curious as to why."

"You might need my help and I don't think it will hurt to take another direction in searching for Nee-San's daughter or Muramasa-San."

His reasons were valid but Yuya had the strangest feeling that there was a lot more to it than that. However, Sasuke's face was as inscrutable as ever and he was grown-up enough to resent her interference, even though she was a bit worried for him. Ever since she had seen him again in Edo, she had felt that there was something different about him, something beyond him maturing into a young man. She couldn't put her finger on it though and decided that he would tell her in his own due time.

With things settled, the group decided to move on and Yuya took a moment to grasp one of Taihaku's massive hands. Staring at him for a long moment, she smiled and said with all of the gratitude that she had been holding onto since she first saw her son, "Thank you so much for bringing our little boy to us, Taihaku-San. I wasn't expecting to see him until all of this was over and meeting him now was an unexpected gift. I'm sorry that we're probably causing a lot of trouble for you and your position among the Mibu."

That tan, slightly weathered face, crinkled into an answering smile and he replied, "Don't worry about me. The Mibu have needed a shake up for quite some time and I truly believe that people like you and Kyo are needed to save them from themselves. I also think you might be surprised at who will be willing to help you."

"Understood, I'll try to keep an open mind," she answered.

The rest of her friends said their goodbyes and, with a long stare to memorize the sight of Sasuke standing next to a man who dwarfed him, they set off in opposite directions.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Your friends are now gone, Sasuke-Kun," Taihaku said once they were standing in one of the many hidden entrances to the underground labyrinth. It was the exact same one he had used to send Yuya and Kyoshiro out of the Mibu lands on their last visit.

"Would you care to tell me the real reason why you decided to come with me?"

The teenager tensed slightly, looking at him with cat-like golden eyes that he had seen often enough on his adopted children for him to put two and two together and realize that he was looking at one of Hishigi's experiments.

"I heard what you said to Nee-San. That you've been around the Mibu for a long time. I assume you know a lot about them."

"Yes."

"I've...spent the last few years training to help her and insuring that I don't fall behind when Yukimura next asks for my help... _if_ he shows up," Taihaku didn't imagine the near imperceptible gentling of the teen's tone when he spoke of Kyo's wife or the slight frustration when he spoke of Yukimura.

Having interacted with the breezy nobleman on a regular basis for the past four years, he could see why the man might be an aggravating master to serve. And having spoken to Nozomu's sister on a few occasions and taken her measure, he could also understand why the boy might be smitten with her. It was fascinating to watch Kyo's group because, even though they were quite strong, they all gravitated towards Yuya in one way or the other, and none more so than her husband.

Kind, charming, good-natured, and brave,he understood why she appealed to them and he was confident that, no matter what trials befell them, she would keep them moving by hook or crook. Her brother would have been proud.

However, it wasn't the time to get nostalgic and he said, "Yukimura-San has been here for a while now, I imagine that he will show up eventually. In the meantime, it's clear that something happened during your training that is bothering you."

"Yes. I've been fighting a lot of people. Most weren't that hard since they were human but I...ran into a situation when I was sparring with Tora."

His voice grew even quieter and Taihaku waited patiently for him to continue.

"We don't do things half-way when we fight because we know the Mibu can't be taken lightly. But there was this one moment that sticks out in my mind. He was actually making me sweat for once and his spear was shining and then...Shibien was humming in my hand. It's like I hit a breaking point and then I was filled with so much power that there was nothing for it but to let it out. I learned a new technique that day but almost killed Tora in the process and...at the end of it...he said...," Sasuke's worlds trailed off and Taihaku could see how uncomfortable he was about talking so much.

"What did he say?"

Those golden eyes flicked his way and then his ki spiked as he replied quietly, "I've been working at controlling it. It's better if I show you."

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and didn't open them again until he let out the air he'd been holding. When he did, though, Taihaku had to force himself not to gape in amazement because, instead of gleaming gold, there were now two ruby eyes staring back at him.

"Tora said that I had Kyo's eyes. I don't...want to ask Kyo and Shibien showed me all sorts of things about Kyoshiro the first time I saw him in Edo. Tell me, Taihaku-San, do you know what these mean?"

 _'It means that Hishigi is further along than I thought,'_ the giant thought to himself.

Out loud he replied carefully, "It means you are a rare creation and that you are quite powerful. But, I'm not sure about the rest. There are some places that even I'm not allowed to peer into and can only trust in my intuition to guide me. I know that the Taishirou are doing things that I can't agree with but they keep their own counsel in most things."

Sasuke's shoulders sagged a bit and Taihaku's heart went out to him, it was hard when one didn't know one's place in the world. There was at least one person he could think of who knew all of the Mibu clan's dirty laundry and could probably give the boy the answers he sought but, as he'd told Yuya, he didn't want to attract her attention. She was such a troublesome person to deal with.

Sighing, he said, "Let's press on. The deeper we go into the clan the more likely you are to find what you seek. Just be aware that it might not be an answer you like."

The teenager nodded and fell into place beside him as they moved deeper into the labyrinth.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A bit more set up in this chapter. Tokito is going to ask her questions soon and Fubuki isn't going to be happy to have holes poked in his carefully crafted fantasy. You'll also find out soon what Hishigi asked of Yukimura and what Chinmei is up to. Coming up next is Saisei and Saishi and I'm going to be splitting up the main group pretty soon because there are so many of them that they're all turning into a plot blob. I can't concentrate on everyone at the same time and it makes it a bit harder to give other people development since there are ten people in the group now that Sasuke is paired off with Taihaku.

Anyways, more coming up. Julian will eventually put in an appearance along with Shihoudou and eventually I will get to the point where Akira fights Tokito, no worries about that. ;-) More action coming up and some of it most likely told from a rare but somewhat tragic perspective. Thanks a bunch for reading and as always, please let me know what you think.


	36. Similarities and Impossiblities

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (So happy you enjoyed the chapter and that I can still manage to surprise you.), **DebyMU** (You are correct, there is so much more for me to write and I'm really grateful that you continue to read and enjoy this story. If you have a question, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer as long as it won't require me to spoil the story.), **Azure** (Glad you liked the humor and you are correct about there being plenty of drama coming up but hopefully it will be of the fun variety. ^_^), **magicalnana** (Thanks!), **general zargon** (I'm happy you enjoyed reading the chapter. I'm trying to get the story to progress a bit faster but I have to balance it out with character development. Shinrei and Aiko will show up again soon enough since I really enjoy writing them but, for now, I need to close the gaps between them and Kyo's group.), **Animallover** (I'll admit that I was always fond of parts in the manga where they showed Kyo as a boy because he was so cute but scary at the same time. Hence, I couldn't resist making his son a near carbon copy of him just so I could put the two of them in the same room and have a good laugh/squeal. Also, Yuya deserves to get her licks in on Kyo as well since he teases her so badly. ;-) Tokito has a long way to go but she does deserve some answers and Fubuki deserves to be knocked off balance. And yes, I was making a reference to how Fubuki killed Taihaku in the manga. It was such a low and cheap blow for a man as cool as Taihaku.), **lmamc** (Thank you), **kyoandyuya** (Teasing Kyo is always a fun, if rare, treat. The part where Yukimura faked Akari out is hilarious and I've been trying to figure out how to recreate it since I'm changing some things around in the Mibu lands. I may or may not include it depending on how I things work out but I'm definitely going to try and get Shihoudou to hand over the Julian-Summoning panties because teasing Sasuke is fun too. ;-D), **Toreh** (Thanks again for taking the time to review Midori No Me and for reviewing this fic. I'm glad you are enjoying it as well. I truly love Samurai Deeper Kyo and always felt a little sad that it doesn't get much love. It's one of the few shounen series with decent romance and a heroine that I don't want to strangle. Don't worry too much about Aiko, she'll go back to normal eventually and reclaim her childhood.), **J Luc Pitard** (I'm really glad you liked the part with Tokito, writing the what-if scenarios about what things might change if Muramasa had survived in the manga is a blast. Having a four year gap is also fun for changing things around and letting the characters get stronger without having to cover every single battle that leveled them up. It a fun challenge and I'm super happy you are enjoying the ride. ^_^)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two**

 **Similarities and Impossibilities**

"So how did Shinrei manage to survive an attack by Hishigi anyways? That old fart would give even me a hard time," Kyo said to his son when they were entering the cave that led to the next gate. The path carved its way through the side of the mountain as it ascended and he kept his senses tuned for outside interference.

The two of them were bringing up the rear of the group and he noted with mild annoyance that his friends and wife were giving them space, probably to provide him with an opportunity to "bond' with his brat. They were all of them medling idiots, but he figured that it couldn't hurt to find out a bit more about what had been going on while he was playing the fool for the clan, looking for his dream woman, and making his way back to wreak vengeance.

The boy glanced up at him before replying, "After Ai-Chan left to meet Hishigi, I ran into Saisei-Sama while she was coming to let Shinrei-Sama know that you and Kaa-Chan where here. She made sure he would be safe for a while and healed him."

"Hm, that's kind of surprising. Last time I saw her, she and that other chick were making fun of your mom about being pregnant and laughing about it because they expected her to die. I owe both of them a sword through the throat."

To his credit, the boy didn't wince at his clear statement of bloody intent. The child only replied simply, "They are both strange. They say mean things but, with Saisei-Sama, it's only when she's around Saishi-Sama. I don't know everything, but I think she can only do what she is ordered to by Saishi-Sama. When I asked if she wanted to know who had hurt Shinrei-Sama, she refused because she said that she can't keep secrets. She healed me too after the last time I went to Hishigi's lab," Kyo didn't miss the slight hitch in his voice.

"I don't think she is a bad person," the boy concluded.

Thinking back to his last view of the woman, Kyo remembered her as alternately cold and taunting. It wasn't that he didn't believe that his son saw good in the woman - he was half Yuya's child at the end of the day - he had a hard time moving past the image of her sticking her hand through his woman's chest so that she could stir up Shinrei's water wyrm and shorten her life even further. Like it was right in front of him, he could practically smell the musty dampness of Aokigahara and observe the way Saisei's eyes widened slightly as she swirled her appendage back and forth beneath his wife's skin.

Now that he thought back to it, he could _see_ the exact moment when she had known that there was a tiny secret nestled within his wife's womb and, even years later, the memory made his heart twist. The revelation of her condition and the mockery that followed had only made things worse. All he could hear was laughing and jeering while Yuya struggled to breathe and understand that she and their unborn child were nothing but pawns to make him suffer.

His private dreams of being the strongest and making sure that she would never regret lowering herself to accept and love him had felt as if it was in reach. And he'd come so close to helping her fulfill her dreams of marrying the man she loved and having children until Saisei and Saishi had taken her hopes and warped them.

So real he could touch the image, he saw her green eyes filling up with tears and fear. And there had been one dark moment where he wished that he had never come into her life so that he would not have to look at her and understand the acute pain of failing the person he loved. From the first moment Shinrei had shown up at Muramasa's house to the bitter end, when Fubuki had Yuya in his clutches and Kyo knew that he would have to give her up to save her, his life had been one failure after another.

His pride had been hurt. The vast strength he had relied on for so long had been made a mockery of. And Yuya, his Yuya, has almost died in agony, taking their children with her. In his head, he knew that his son had had years to see what he couldn't, but those past events back at the Hell Gate with the two women he was going to see next were forever emblazoned in his mind and heart as one of the worst moments in his life.

He could somewhat move past his grudge with Shinrei because his son had turned out alright, although he still felt as if he were obligated to give the man one last butt-kicking for good measure since he hadn't told him about the boy. But, the two witches waiting to see him were another matter. There was no containing the fury that swam up and made his sword hand twitch with the need for vengeance. He owed them nothing but death and the Thousand Killer _always_ repaid his debts.

"I guess I can't ask you to go easy on Saisei-Sama, can I?" Ryu asked quietly and his father stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Did I go easy on Shinrei?" he asked with a raised brow.

"I was there and no. Although...I don't understand why you didn't kill Shinrei-Sama."

Kyo grimaced and said gruffly, "He was fun to fight. I still think he's a stuck-up, self-righteous prig with a stick shoved up his...," he glanced at Yuya and altered what he was about to say, "...butt."

"However, it's the right of the victor to determine what happens to the loser and the desire to kill him wasn't there. With the exception of telling me about you, he was finally honest with me."

He left out the part where, now that he had his memories back, he remembered Shinrei's face when things took a turn for the worse during their last foray into the Mibu clan. Even after his lofty talk about the clan and how Kyo was traitor and so on, the water-user had been genuinely appalled by what Fubuki did. The silver-haired man's fear that Yuya would die and take the last Mibu child with her was real.

While Kyo disagreed with his greedy wish to possess that which didn't belong to him, he had spent four years sparring with the man. Even if the two of them never made a venture towards friendship, there was one thing he understood clearly about Shinrei – the man loved the Mibu clan from the bottom of his heart. It was why he had tried to relieve Yuya of his curse at the last minute when Fubuki showed his true colors and, Kyo admitted to himself begrudgingly, it was probably why the man had slipped his leash and taken a stand against his masters on behalf of his children.

All Shinrei _had_ was the clan. He had no wife, no lover, and no children. The Mibu was his one true love and, for him, even the offspring of a man he hated represented hope because his people were slowly dying off. Kyo couldn't decide if it that made the other man pathetic or elevated him to scary levels of nobility.

Still, he kept his counsel and said, "So you watched us fight. What did you think of it?"

Ryu looked at him and licked his lips before saying softly, "It was...exciting."

No matter how quiet his voice was, the boy couldn't hide the hint of longing and Kyo smirked as he said, "You wanted to join in, didn't you?"

"I...yes," his son nodded and continued, "Shinrei promised me that he would show me my father. And then I _saw_ you. I _felt_ you. And I thought that I did not want you to see me as weak when we finally met because...," his voice trailed off and he looked away.

"Because you wanted to earn the right to fight me someday and test your strength against mine," Kyo finished for him and that small head snapped up as Ryu stared at him in shock, obviously having expected him to be annoyed or upset at his son for wanting to battle his own sire.

"Close your mouth, boy, you look like a fish," he said with a smirk.

"It's not that surprising. You're my child through and through. Muramasa would be having a good laugh right now if he could see the two of us. It's like going back in time. You have my blood flowing through your veins which means you have a legacy of power and violence. I'm sure you've felt it by now, haven't you? The desire to destroy things. The dislike for people who want to control you."

Ryu's expression was laden with fascination as he whispered, "Yes."

"And when you get to the point where you can truly use your power, it'll be thrilling, addictive...like the hardest drug or the best sex of your life," he grinned down at his son, who sported a somewhat confused look and continued, "But your mother is right, you _are_ a bit young for _that_ talk. Still," he directed his gaze towards his wife, "It's why people like _us_ need people like _her_."

His son followed suit and stared at his mother while his father said, "The two of us don't think the same way as other people do. Our sense of right and wrong is different. I won't call it a flaw because it lets us get things done no matter what people tell us is impossible. But...people like _her_ let us pretend to be better than we are."

"She's really nice," Ryu said with a small smile.

Kyo sucked his teeth and said, "She's a loud, obnoxious, bossy, pain. Although I'll admit that she's grown out of a few of those over the years. At the same time, she gives me more chances than I deserve and she'll lay down her life for the people she loves no matter how much stronger an opponent is than her. It makes her reckless and foolish but I've already decided that I can tolerate it. Besides, I like her touch and she's incredibly responsive."

His son gave him another blank look and the Thousand Killer grimaced. His wife would get on him again about saying perverted things around their children if he wasn't careful. Filtering his speech didn't come naturally but if he wanted to raise kids who wouldn't have their innocence stripped away as early as he had, he was grudgingly willing to season his speech…a bit. Tact just wasn't a part of his make-up.

Thankfully, Ryu didn't ask him to elaborate. Instead, the boy took it to another level entirely by saying directly, "You really love Kaa-Chan a lot."

Kyo almost stumbled and he scowled at his son who, true to his blood, didn't even flinch beneath the intensity of his stare. Mentally grumbling about brats who were too similar to himself to keep their mouths shut, he replied stiffly, "She's alright."

A tiny snort sounded but Ryu wisely controlled most of his laughter and they continued on in comfortable silence.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _"It's the end for me, Tomoe. The battle is lost and I do not have to heart to see you die with me, beloved."_

 _Her lord's hands and eyes were warm upon her and her vision blurred with tears because she knew he was right. They were overwhelmed and the enemy was closing in. She nodded and grabbed up her weapon, turning to flee and hesitating for a moment before looking back at her master and lover once more._

 _As with all relationships, theirs was a complicated one and yet, she appreciated him for giving her a place and allowing her the honor to fight for him, acknowledging her strength and skill. To him, she wasn't only a pretty face, she was a warrior and his trust in her was a gift that she would take to her grave. After all, what woman would not do her best to support the man she loved?_

 ***End Flashback***

Brown eyes opened and took in the cave she was in and their owner sighed ever so slightly. Breathing, like eating and sleeping, was unnecessary for Saisei but she indulged herself anyways because such a simple thing made her feel alive and there were so few things that gave her that pleasure.

In the background, Saishi droned on and on about how she hated being in such a dank cave and how it was more suited for someone like Chinmei and how she would have preferred to at least get a gate where she could grow trees along the path to slow Kyo down. The other woman lamented about how there was barely any room for her summon her minions to fight and what a drag it was to have to show up in the first place when her servants were strong enough to do the work for her.

Years of practice allowed her to shut her mistress out. Saishi was selfish, conniving, and lazy - the sort of female that made other women groan and hide their faces in shame because she made the rest of them look bad. Day in and day out, she did nothing but complain or plot of ways to play cruel jokes on the people around her and usually Saisei was her unwilling instrument of torture.

A few times, years ago and shortly after she had first opened her eyes and wondered why she was alive and well, she had tried to offer her thoughts on the things her mistress did. She had been certain that those vain and cruel tendencies were only a fraction of her persona, that there was some hidden good inside of her just waiting to be tapped. Unfortunately, she had learned the hard way that her belief that there was good in everyone was foolish and that her feelings and opinions were unwanted.

For a while, Saishi ignored her when she asked why she liked to play so many mean jokes. She rolled her eyes when her subordinate asked her for updates about the outside world. But things finally came to a head when she told the other woman that the outfit she had selected for her to fight in provided nothing in the way of protection and would likely have her breasts falling out of the bottom of it if she moved the wrong way.

As far as she was concerned, she was only being practical the way a warrior should be and it was not intended to be a criticism but her owner didn't see it that way. Instead, retribution came swiftly and mercilessly. She would never forget the feel of steel-like fingers digging into her shoulder, the pain of bones grinding together, and the realization that sloppy, slovenly Saishi was strong, scarily so. It also showed her the sort of person her mistress was.

By that time, she had realized that, while the need for any and all normal bodily functions were gone, the other woman had taken the time out to make sure she could feel pain. It spoke more loudly than anything else as to what drove the person who had brought her back to life.

 _"I don't think you understand how things work yet, Saisei,"_ her owner had said in that eternally cheerful voice, though there was a slight chiding tone at that moment.

" _You are a doll and your job is to do as I say. I picked you because you are one of the prettiest warriors who have ever lived and I only like to surround myself with beautiful things. You exist because I will it and if I want you to fight naked, you'll do it because I told you so. If I want you to get on the ground and lick the feet of every soldier in the clan, you'll do it and thank me for the privilege."_

With every word out of her mouth, Saishi's grip had tightened until, with a sickening crack, she felt her shoulder give way and had to use every ounce of her willpower not to make a sound even though it was excruciating.

 _"Oh, now look what you've made me do. I hate it when my toys get damaged. Really, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for getting me so upset, Saisei. Still, my taste in_ _dolls_ _is impeccable. You didn't cry out once. No wonder you ensnared a powerful lord when you were still alive."_

It was such a callous statement to make about someone she once loved but she had grit her teeth, endured the pain, and waited for the other woman to finish patting herself on the back before allowing her to fix her arm.

From that time on, she had understood that her resurrection was not a blessing, not a second chance at life. Rather it meant slavery to a woman who was evil to her very core and an empty existence among a people who viewed her as no more important than a piece of furniture.

Tomoe Gozen, famed warrior and concubine to Minamoto no Yoshinaka, had been reduced to nothing more than a puppet made of cold flesh. No one spoke to her, no one looked at her. She was almost always by her mistress' side and yet, even when the clan members spoke about her to Saishi, it was if she wasn't standing right there. Ignored, humiliated, alone...she wished she were back in the ground where she belonged.

The ability to cry and release her pain did not exist in her reanimated body, and so she slowly began to withdraw from the world around her. Her facial expressions were the first to go - she learned quickly that Saishi would take them and use them against her. Next her voice dried up to the point that she would only speak when spoken to or when made to talk by her owner. And finally, she began to retreat mentally, soothing herself with thoughts of the day when Saishi would grow tired of her and leave her to rest in peace.

By the time _he_ had first spoken to her, she had already resigned herself to "life" as the plaything of a horrible woman who spoke of finding her prince someday. As someone who had once loved and been loved, she knew it would never happen for someone like her superior. No man in his right mind would find the other woman attractive. She silently consoled herself with the knowledge that, if she could not have the death she so longed for, at least Saishi would forever remain single because she was a miserable person who had earned her own demise many times over.

Still, as she stared down the dimly lit path and her ears picked up on the first signs of life in the darkness, she took a moment to fantasize about the one bright spot in her existence. Like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds that constantly overshadowed her, she could recall and take solace in the one moment that had made her situation tolerable.

If she closed her eyes she could just hear _his_ voice - calm, firm, and speaking, not just to anyone but...to her. He was admiring her emblem, marveling at how it resembled both a cherry blossom and a water current - his element - and she could only stare at him, wondering if she were imagining the whole conversation.

For years, the Mibu had looked through her and yet one of the most highly-placed ones was acknowledging _her_ , looking at _her,_ and conversing with _her_. When she asked him why he spoke to someone like her, his voice was laden with wonder at the fact that the two of them were able to talk to each other when her life had been over five hundred years prior. It was surreal as he spoke to her about the ability to express their feelings even if the body rotted and faded away and then, he said and did something that would have made her heart flutter if it were still beating.

 _"Your spirit lives on, right?"_ he said with a soft smile and she had melted inside.

Saisei had already retreated from the world, rolled over, and resigned herself to being nothing more than a flesh puppet but, at that moment, she had felt warm, alive. The image of Shinrei standing there was one that she had saved and locked away deep inside of her heart. Tall and strong as the sun gilded his outline and highlighted his beautiful silver hair, while those penetrating golden eyes stared at her and that shapely mouth smiled one of his rare smiles just for her – she could nourish herself on that image forever. She knew and recognized love for what it was when it struck a second time.

Alas, it was impossible. She knew that well because she was a slave and her "life" was forever linked to a woman who got off on the suffering of others. At the end of the day, she was an aberration, a living corpse who wasn't supposed to exist and could offer him nothing. A part of her still longed for oblivion if she could not do anything about her feelings towards the man who had become the sole focus for her ever-shrinking humanity. However, with the time she had been given, she allowed herself to dream of what could have been if he had been born in her time or her in his.

It was a testament to how self-absorbed and out of sync Saishi was with the feelings of others that she never once asked Saisei about Shinrei or picked up on her crush. Though she was adept at hiding her emotions, the two of them were still practically joined at the hip and she knew that little cracks showed in her façade whenever the object of her desire did things that made her worry about him. Still, the other woman never once noticed - otherwise she would have mocked her mercilessly for her feelings - and she did not volunteer the information.

The sound of voices reached her and she saw the outline of Kyo's group as they approached their position at the gate. Her enhanced hearing picked up a young voice and she smiled slightly, realizing that Kyo's boy was with them. She hadn't been sure that he would find his way to his father but it was a relief just the same. Though she knew that they were destined to be enemies, she also knew that sending him away had been the safest thing to do for both the child and Shinrei.

Saisei knew well how much the silver-haired warrior loved the child. She had seen the longing in his golden gaze whenever he looked at the boy and knew the pain of holding onto a dream that could never be. It was a cruel twist of fate that the thing he valued and wanted most, a family of his own, was something she could not grant him even though she adored him so. She could only take comfort in the fact that she had been able to save his life at least once and that she had done the best she could for the son that would never be his.

If she could not have what she wanted with Shinrei, then she could at least cover for him as best she could because she knew that, when he woke up, his life would be permanently altered. Even though she had refused details from Ryu, she knew that one of the Taishirou had sentenced him to death because he would not have lost so badly to anyone less and not even Kyo had put him so close to death when they fought. She did not know the reasons, nor did she care because her loyalty was not with the Mibu or Saishi, it was for one person and one person only.

Whatever had happened and whatever was about to happen, she was content with the knowledge that she had finally been able to touch him. Even if it was only to heal and pull him back from the brink of death, she would carry the warmth of his skin with her to her second grave and thank the gods for the privilege.

However, time was short and Kyo's group had caught sight of the two of them standing there. Her moment to daydream was over and she took her position next to Saishi who giggled and said, "I think I have a little room to raise a few minions, what say we slow them down a bit, Saisei?"

Saisei's lips opened of their own accord and she heard her voice reply, "Why that's an excellent idea Saishi! Who wants to get dirty fighting such riffraff anyways?"

"I know, right?" Saishi answered herself, "And look, Kyo's brat is with them. He's cute but orders are orders and no one is allowed to get through the gate."

"No, of course not. Such a pity then, he'll have to go into the pit below," Saisei's voice replied, referring to the yawning darkness on either side of the narrow path.

"Ah well, that's life," her mistress "replied" perkily and then she raised her hands and the ground in front of them rippled and heaved at first one then two and more heads pushed their way through and her beautiful, female flesh dolls emerged, yawning and giggling cutely as they expressed their hunger.

"There's all kinds of yummy male flesh for you to eat, my pretties," their mistress said, gesturing towards the group heading their way.

There was a chorus of delighted exclamations and then the scantily clad monsters were off and Kyo and his friends were fighting them.

"I don't think they'll last," Saisei said, this time of her own accord.

"Oh, I know, but I have my other two minions and you've never been defeated. I doubt I'll have to fight at all."

Her servant didn't reply to that. Instead she calmed herself as best she could because she had a feeling that the other woman was dead wrong. Shinrei was one of the strongest members of the Goyosei, better than Saishi by far who got by on brute strength and her inability to die, and he had been defeated by Kyo. She had a feeling that things were going to go very wrong very shortly and, with the intuition of seasoned warrior, she started preparing herself mentally for her upcoming fight while observing the moves of her opponents.

The skill that was on display would have been terrifying to a normal person and the skin at the back of her neck prickled with foreboding. In very short order, all of Saishi's dolls were bisected and dumped into the pit and then the air grew heavy as her mistress summoned her next strongest warriors.

She watched as if in a dream as the massive forms of warriors from long ago moved towards their enemies and Kyo stepped forward only to be stopped by the blind young man who had come the last time.

"As much as I would prefer to observe your fight, Kyo, please allow me the opportunity to show you my progress of these last four years," the young man said and the Thousand Killer, after giving him a long stare, smirked and gestured towards the two reanimated fighters.

"Don't disappoint me, Akira," he said.

The blind man's smile was confident as he replied, "When have I ever, Kyo?"

Next to her Saishi laughed, drawing the attention of the fighters, and asked, "Are you seriously sending Akira to fight two of my strongest servants? According to the data I got on him last time, he's the absolute weakest of the Four Generals. A peasant without a speck of noble blood to make up for his weakness. Really, how stupid can you be to send such a weakling to fight my perfect dolls?"

Saisei stared at her and silently wondered how she could have been stuck with such a clueless woman for a mistress. While it was true that Akira was the weakest out of the Shiseiten, her senses did not lie. Having been through enough battles in her time, she was adept at taking a man's measure and could tell that Akira was no one to play with. She had also seen enough of Kyo to know that he would never accept a pushover as a companion.

Her fingers twitched at her side, clenching and unclenching as if she were already holding her naginata because she _knew_ , beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she was going to have to fight. Benkei and Ushiwakamaru were strong and Saishi's tinkering had enhanced the skills they already possessed to incredible levels but she was still the strongest, the masterwork of a woman who treated the dead as nothing more than toys and weapons and used the regrets they had in life to manipulate them.

As she watched Akira handling the two men with ease, she realizedthat her turn was coming up and a feeling that she might not survive the fight rose strongly within her. Kyo's group was driven, determined, and it would come down to her resolve to protect Shinrei and the clan he loved against that united will to destroy the Mibu. She did not know if Kyo would be merciful to Shinrei a second time and she was unwilling to risk his life on the faint hope that the Thousand Killer would take her love's kindness towards his children into account. After all, she'd been there when they stole his son away in the first place.

No, she would have to fight her hardest to protect the man she loved, neither he nor she would accept anything less. As Akira dispatched Saishi's duo in minutes, she took a step forward and began to reach inwards, searching for the key to her transformation and finding it with ease.

"You have done well, Akira of the Shiseiten," she said, "but I cannot allow any of you to go further."

So saying, she triggered her metamorphosis and closed her eyes as the wind started to swirl around her, bringing with it the scent of cherry blossoms and she knew that, to her opponents, she would be enveloped in a storm of petals. If there was one thing she could say in Saishi's favor, it was that she _did_ have a sense of style. If she had to fight and, perhaps die, it would at least happen beautifully.

As the wind caressed her bare midriff and her hand found the shaft of her massive naginata, she pampered herself once more by breathing in deeply and letting the air out slowly as she opened her eyes again and said, "Prepare to die."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There you go, my nod to one of the most tragic people in SDK. I had a long back and forth discussion about Saisei with both myself and a reviewer and I still feel bad since she is well and truly trapped by her circumstances. Even though I know Kamijyo-Sensei set her up to die from the get-go, I felt bad that her situation was so crappy and out of her control. Still, I'm glad she found peace at the end and I think her fight with Akira really helped him to grow emotionally.

Also, in case anyone was wondering, I know the second gate had trees leading up to it but I always thought it was a bit odd that the Goyosei had supposedly determined the order in which they would fight randomly and yet, both Saishi's and Chinmei's gates were perfectly suited to the elements they controlled. Hence, why Saishi made a little comment about growing trees. ;-) Ah well, more action coming up. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	37. The Lady and The Tramp

**Thanks to: DebyMU** (Glad you enjoyed the emotions. I always felt bad for Saisei and I want her to find peace. Kyo really loves his wife to want to protect his children from picking up too many of his bad habits. Ryu is eventually going to grow up to be a mix between both of his parents but that's not until the sequel. Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, and encouraging me.), **Rinfantasy** (Lol, Kyo is so shy when it comes to expressing the deeper emotions but that's what kids do to their parents, force them to come out of their comfort zone. I wanted Saisei to at least be able to do something for Shinrei since her death was so unavoidable and she loved him so much.), **topezhazelwolf** (I'm really looking forward to writing what happens when Kyo sees Shinrei with his daughter but don't worry, he won't kill him. ^_^), **lmamc** (Saiei is so tragic. T_T), **general zargon** (Thank you and I agree that, even though Saisei was made to be a transitory character, she is truly pitiable. Saishi is such a horrid person that the thought of her ordering around such a famous female warrior is just insulting.), **Azure** (Touching but tragic was the goal for Saisei in the last chapter. She is truly a casualty of the Mibu and their presumptuous and callous treatment of people.), **Animallover** (I'm super happy you enjoyed the last chapter. Writing about Kyo's interactions and how he's slowly easing into the role of a father is a lot of fun. I just hope he's not too OOC about it. Of course, he's going to be pretty mad once Shinrei shows up with his daughter but it'll just add to the fun. ;-) The funny thing about kids is that they really do say what they think and they often have no clue that some things are meant to be private. It'll be nice to write about Ryu when he's older because he'll be a blend between both of his parents, though slightly more like Kyo. And don't worry, Muramasa will see him eventually.), **kyoandyuya** (Lol, I can't expect everything I write to click with everyone. In fact, I think I scared off one of my readers because I didn't finagle a way for Saisei to keep living even though I can't really see a way around her death. I really, really, really, can't wait to write Kyo meeting Aiko at last and how he'll react to Shinrei running around with his baby girl.), **magicalnana** (There will definitely be more family moments before too long. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.), **J Luc Pitard** (I'm with you. Being stuck with Saishi for eternity would really suck. It's a bit hard to get more info on Tomoe Gozen and I'm not sure if her master sent her off to save her life or because it was dishonorable to die with a woman after their last battle but I'm a romantic, so I opted for the former over the latter. Hope you enjoy the battle and I'm glad you liked Kyo's interactions with Ryu.)

 **Authors note:** I know this chapter is a bit rough. I think I caught most of the typos when I went over it but I kept having to rework part of it in my head and the kids have been feasting on the lion's share of my brainwaves this week. Mmm, braaaiiins. (っ˘ڡ˘ς) Oh, and I make no apologies for the title of this chapter, you can't tell me it doesn't fit. ;-)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Three**

 **The Lady and The Tramp**

For four more years Akira had trained himself. Always pushing himself further and further because he did not want to disappoint Kyo when they finally met again. Rather he wanted to take that extra step to accomplish his goal of someday being Kyo's equal. To show him that he had not chosen poorly when he assigned a teenage boy, with no noble blood to speak of, to guard his back. Combined with the previous four years after Kyo first left the Shiseiten behind, he knew that he had improved greatly.

His ability to see with his heart's eye had increased greatly, to the point that he had to enhance every part of his body to handle the sensory overload that came with it. Smell, taste, touch, hearing...all of them were tuned to a level that was much higher than other humans and he could "see" things that ordinary people couldn't. Ki's, battle auras, things like that which were invisible to the naked eye were as vivid to him as if he could still open his eyes and look at them. Most would assume that he couldn't even make out the details around him but that was untrue. The more he trained and the stronger he became, the more he "saw" the people and things around him. Thus, he could see Saisei clearly when she transformed.

She was a beautiful sight. The sort of woman that men wrote poems about and that Bon would have made a fool of himself over back in the day. As the cherry blossoms that heralded her transformation scattered, he "saw" that she was wearing armor that was equally lovely. He could not see the flowers decorating it per se but they were embossed on the surface and he could "see" the way the air around her molded and flowed over her form. Details were apparent to him even in something that stood out a mere millimeter or less from the surface like the blossoms adorning her clothes.

Her garb flattered her shapely form although it was also revealing to the point that he wondered if he were being made fun of. Even her hair was longer, a cascade that fell well past her hips and was tied off at the end. But the part that interested him most was the weapon clutched in her right hand.

"That is an immense Naginata you have there," Akira said with a slight smile, "Are you sure you can wield it with enough speed to take me on?"

Saisei did not respond verbally, instead she allowed her skills to do the talking and he had to dodge to the side quickly to avoid an attack that would have cleaved him in half. It was such a powerful swing that he actually felt the air being displaced as it passed and the sheer force of it rustled his hair wildly before it slammed into the ground with an audible crack. The vibrations it sent out hummed through his entire body and he knew that the cut from the naginata extended far out from the tip of the polearm, carving it's way through solid rock.

 _'So, she has the power to back that weapon up but...'_ he thought to himself before speaking out loud once more.

"Your strength is impressive, but I'm afraid your weapon is too heavy and slow to keep up with my blades. For example...," he swung his left sword, intending to catch her in the side, and she surprised him completely by rotating ever so slightly and stopping the blade before it could reach her with the tip of her fingers.

"Too slow," she said, with a long-suffering sigh that rankled.

The Akira of four years ago would have been forced to stop his attack there but the current Akira's lips twitched and he countered by twisting his blade just enough to force her to let go lest he sever her fingers and he brought it's twin around.

Gathering his ki swiftly and easily, he called out, "Muhyou Getten!"

The young warrior "saw" her eyes widen in shock as she leapt back to avoid the ice that followed in the path of his attack. Following it up with another attack would have been easy enough but he refrained. He could tell that Saisei was powerful but he was confident that, when it came to a fight in which Kyo had stepped back to allow him to show off his skills, he would prevail. Akira was not oblivious to the honor and trust Kyo had bestowed up him by allowing him to face the twin guardians of the third gate even though his former teacher was healthy enough to fight himself.

As mystified as he was by their relationship, he knew that Kyo ached to avenge himself on the women who had hurt both his wife and his pride. The Thousand Killer was just that sort of person. It wasn't that he was incapable of forgiving and forgetting, it was that such mercies were to be extended only on _his_ terms.

However, bringing Yuya into the equation tended to alter things. Akira had once thought that the young woman was only a weakness. But, having seen what Kyo was capable of when her life was on the line and having personally felt the crushing power of Kyo's killing intent when anyone threatened her, he had altered his opinion.

Love, romance, tenderness...these were things he understood in a textbook sort of way but did not feel were useful to him. And yet, he could see where his needs differed from Kyo's. Kyo by himself was incredibly strong but Kyo with someone to fight for was terrifying. There was no doubt in his mind that there were still even deeper waters in his former teacher that were as yet untouched.

It was both frightening and thrilling to think that he would one day test himself against that raw power. He had already waited quite some time to have the battle he so longed for and he could wait a bit longer, use the opportunity to fight the stronger opponents provided by the Mibu clan to hone himself as both a warrior and a person.

Now, he was facing his first stepping stone and she was strong but he _knew_ that he was stronger because he would not allow anyone else's determination to overcome his. He would win because he had to and because Kyo trusted in his abilities.

"Your companion said that I am the weakest of the Shiseiten, Saisei" he said calmly as he collected his ki, "However, I am afraid that she is quite mistaken. I may not have a noble warrior's blood but my spirit is a match for any lord who would sit in his castle and rely on his lineage for power."

"I can see it etched in your form. You are the sort of man who pushes himself constantly to improve," the woman replied, readying her naginata as she sensed his impending attack.

"However, at the end of the day, spirit and blood do not matter. No matter how much you practice and train, strength is the most important thing."

The moment her words came to an end, she swung her naginata again and Akira dodged nimbly out of the way, grinning slightly as he replied, "I concur. Strength is of the utmost importance and so I will show you mine."

So saying, he let go of his ki and listened with satisfaction as she gasped and stared at the pillars of ice that rose up around them with incredible speed, forming a crystalline wall that enclosed the and separated the two of them from the rest of the people observing their battle. The familiar, aching chill of his frozen fortress settled into his bones, painful, penetrating, and exhilarating as the cold helped him to sharpen his focus.

"There are few opponents who have seen my Hyoukenseisou and none who have ever lived to tell the tale. Please accept this, both as my apology for underestimating you because I so rarely meet women who are capable fighters and as an acknowledgement of my desire to fight you seriously."

"I should be so honored," Saisei replied, with a hint of sarcasm in her tone as she swung her naginata at the place where she thought he was.

Unfortunately, all she connected with was ice and he almost pitied her as it shattered and rained sharp crystals at her that cut across her beautiful face and clothes.

"I don't have the time to waste on you," he said, "there are so many things we need to accomplish and you are only slowing us down," he pitched his voice so that it sounded as if he were right behind her.

The woman turned and attacked again, only to hit his ice and get sliced up by the resulting shards.

"Wherever are you aiming? I'm right here," he said and she turned to aim her naginata to the right, with the same painful results as her previous attacks.

For the first time, he could "see" panic on her face as her legs gave out and she turned her head from side to side, trying to figure out which of his reflections was the real one.

"Do you finally understand that you are going to die in here?" he asked calmly and could hear the slight squeak of flesh against metal as her hand tightened on the shaft of her naginata.

Her realization that she was trapped was almost palpable and he debated whether her spirit was crushed enough for him to end things or if he should let her stew a bit longer.

"Do not feel too bad. Your speed and strength are admirable but my determination to reach my goals cannot be defeated anyone. We _will_ crush your beloved Mibu clan and I _will_ continue to get stronger until the day that I can face Kyo for real."

"You think I fight for the clan?" his opponent asked harshly and he did not like the feeling that followed her words. He sensed that he was missing something as she slowly climbed to her feet.

"No, Akira of the Shiseiten, I do not fight for the clan. I have _never_ fought for the clan," she continued with genuine heat on her voice.

"But that is something that a cold man like you could not possibly understand and your overconfidence will be your downfall."

To him, her words sounded like the last whimpers of a wounded animal but he had forgotten something quite important. True, he was stronger than her - they both knew it - but there was none so desperate as an injured beast who was cornered. He had a sense of foreboding as the energy around her changed and she plunged her left hand into her stomach. Akira remembered enough of their first encounter to know that she was using her Spiritual Operation technique but he could discern no visible changes once she took her hand away.

"You should have killed me quickly, Akira," she said, stiffening her spine as she stared at him, "Now I predict that you will fall by your own sword."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Akira should be just about done, Yuya-Chan," Bon said as he scratched his stomach and turned his gaze to Saishi, "Maybe I should do her partner while we're at it to save time."

"Do?" Saishi echoed Bon's words as she looked the big man over and turned away with a blush as she said, "I'm sorry Bontenmaru-San. I'm sure you're wealthy and come from a fine family but I'll only accept a hot guy as my husband."

Her condescending tone clearly ruffled the big man's feathers because he replied heatedly, "As if I'd ever sink so low! I already have a woman who's ten times sexier than you and has a nicer rack, at that."

"Oh my. I'm so flattered," Okuni's voice interjected and Bon stiffened, realizing that he'd been caught and his mortification only increased as his pretend wife took his words and ran with it.

"I'm so very pleased to know that my bosom is to your liking. That wasn't so hard to admit now, was it, darling?" she purred the endearment and the giant looked like a caught animal as he tried to decide if he wanted to throw himself into the pit behind them or sink into the ground.

The spy sent his thoughts off into a third direction by deliberately folding her arms beneath and lifting her bust until her cleavage was on magnificent display. Bon, like the red-blooded man that he was, stared at them with a dreamy expression.

Saishi frowned down at her own impressive, though not Okuni-level breasts and muttered, "That just isn't fair."

Yuya rolled her eyes heavenward, wondering why giant boobs were so fascinating to men and how in the world they had gone from watching a life and death battle to comparing one vixen's "assets" to another. A loud crack broke her out of her mildly envious musings though, and she looked towards Akira's ice fortress, staring wide-eyes as the top of it shattered and a very bloody Akira stepped out followed by Saisei.

"Akira!" she and Bon shouted his name at the same time.

Akira grimace as he staggered a bit before catching himself and taking his stance once more as he faced Saisei.

"Didn't I already tell you, Akira, you are destined to fall by your own sword. I have already connected our bodies. The harder you try to kill me the faster your own end will come," Saisei said, assuming her own stance, "and once I am done with you, I will continue on fighting your companions until no one is left. By my own crest, I swear that not a single one of you will pass through this gate."

The female warrior made an impressive sight as she stood at the ready with her massive naginata even though she was badly scratched from whatever had occurred when she was locked inside of Akira's icy cocoon. Next to her, Bon made a startled sound and she turned to see him staring wide-eyed at the woman as he muttered, "It can't be. But then… it makes too much sense."

Before she could ask him what he meant, the battle resumed although this time Akira was at a distinct disadvantage. Sasei had him completely on the defensive and, while he did not appear to be having a hard time dodging her attacks, he couldn't retaliate either as long as his own attacks would only hurt him in the process.

"You cannot avoid me forever, Akira," his opponent said as she swung her weapon, "and I cannot lose because winning is the only way to prove my own existence! To feel alive!"

So saying, she twirled her naginata with blinding speed and shouted, "Zetsu-Hyakka Ouran!"

Cherry blossoms appeared to fill the air and, even from her vantage point, Yuya could feel the wind coming off of that spinning blade and the sound of steel on steel range out as Akira countered it as best he could while being pushed back.

Yuya had to stifle a cry as Akira lurched at the end of the attack and blood blossomed in a new spot on his chest but he quickly pressed a hand to it and ice formed beneath, sealing the wound.

"So tell me Akira, do you finally understand that you are going to die here?" Saisei asked as swung her huge weapon again and repeated her Zetsu-Hyakka Ouran a second time, forcing Akira closer and closer to the edge of the pit and sending a fine spray of blood into the air.

Yuya clapped her hands to her mouth and Akari yelled with a note of worry in his voice, "Come on Akira! Don't tell me big sis Akari-Sama has to step in and save your blue butt."

The blind man scowled and raised his swords, deflecting the last blow from his enemy's attack and smoothly stepping out of her way as he held his swords at the ready and yelled back, "I don't _need_ help form a pervert like you, only Kyo's confidence in my abilities! And stop telling everyone that by behind is blue!"

"I'll make you eat those words, Akira," the shaman said in a cold tone but the underlying worry was gone as quickly as it had come and the bounty huntress wondered why until Bon spoke.

"I think he's probably picked up on how he has to defeat her by now."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah. If it was still the Akira of a few years ago, I'd probably have had to step in by now and save him from falling victim to his overconfidence. The old Akira would have attacked her again the moment her technique hurt him the first time out of sheer childish fury at getting injured while he's trying to show off in front of Kyo. But I've been working on him the past few years and he's far stronger than he was when we last came here. That woman is no slouch but...at this point he's just waiting for his chance."

"Hmm," Yuya made a non-committal sound but silently prayed that he was right as Akira continued to dodge Saisei's attacks.

The longer she watched, the more she realized that he really _did_ appear to be waiting. He was getting hurt but they were minor scratches in the grand scheme of things. Instead, his brow was furrowed with concentration and she knew that the moment of truth had come when Saisei used her ultimate attack yet again and he called out, "Muhyou Getten!"

Raising his swords, two spikes of ice followed his movements and halted her attack, freezing the blossoms that followed in its wake as he closed in on her from below with his weapons stretched out to run her through.

The woman didn't even bother to dodge, only stood tall and said, "Didn't I already tell you it was useless?!"

What happened next was so fast the young woman could barely process it when it was over. One moment, Akira was attacking Saisei and, in the next, he had reversed his swords and thrust them into his own belly.

Fear swam up into her throat and she felt faint until a large hand clapped her on the shoulder and Bon said gently, "The fight is over."

She was about to ask him what he meant when a whimper sounded and she stared at Saisei who was staring at Akira with a pained expression as she coughed and a dribble of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. Shifting her gaze downwards, she saw the ends of two blades sticking out of the woman's back and quickly put two and two together.

"If she connected her body to Akira's, it stands to reason that if she hurts him then she would get hurt as well unless she is able to open and close their connection at will. All Akira had to do was wait for his chance and have balls of steel to take advantage of that opening."

It wasn't just nerve, she knew enough about fighting to know that the blind man's skills had to be an a level that was far higher than other humans to pull off such split-second timing. As her companion jerked his swords free and Saisei crumpled to the ground, she wondered just how strong he and everyone else had gotten during the past few years. It was both scary and exciting to know that she had such powerful friends helping her and Kyo out.

As Saisei lay on the ground and glared at Akira, the young man said, "Please do not feel that you lost because of any weakness on your part. My desire to become strong enough to fight Kyo and to never allow anyone to hinder that goal was simply stronger. Your power and skill were beautiful to behold."

There was no malice in his words but her eyes glinted anyways and Yuya watched in horror as she dragged herself to her feet slowly and held her naginata at the ready. Her limbs were trembling but her gaze was steady and Yuya mused out loud, "Do you think she can heal herself like Saishi?"

"No. She can't," Bon said sadly and she looked at him as he elaborated.

"She's been resurrected, just like those other minions we fought and those two warriors Akira defeated before her. It took me a while to place the crest but, considering the fact that she raised up Ushiwakamaru and Benkei to fight for her, it makes sense that she could also do the same for their contemporary. That woman isn't really named Saisei. Rather that speed, power, and beauty could only belong to one of the greatest onna musha who ever lived. Tomoe Gozen."

There was a collective gasp from their companions and Saishi sighed as she said, "Oh boo, looks like the cat's out of the bag. Ah well, I guess it's alright to tell you. I actually _did_ create her and I'm the only one who's a real member of the Goyosei. That's not to say Saisei isn't special. She bleeds because she's the masterpiece I created to fight in my place. I absolutely hate the thought of putting myself in harms way and risking damage to my gorgeous skin. So, I thought to myself one day, why not create a gorgeous doll to fight in my place? Really, raising the dead for my personal use is wonderful! They last forever, are totally loyal, and fight super hard so I don't have to. Really, there are no downsides!"

Saishi laughed cheerfully but Yuya could feel nothing but disgust at the thought of someone who desecrated people who had already gone to rest for her own personal gain and said as much.

"Who do you think you are to fool with the dead like that?!" she exclaimed, appalled at her presumption.

"Yuck, ugly girls like you look even worse when whining," the other woman replied.

Yuya's hand twitched with the urge to put a bullet in the horrible woman but Bon stopped her with a firm grip on her wrist.

"Don't bother. She's Mibu," he said and Yuya knew he was right. She'd figured out a long time ago that there wasn't a speck of kindness or decency in Saishi.

"I'm disappointed to think that such a proud warrior would submit herself to the Mibu. Was winning only necessary to you because you were ordered to fight?" Akira said and there was real disappointment in his tone.

Saisei surprised all of them by shaking her head vehemently and exclaiming, "No! Saishi might own my body but my heart belongs to only one person. I..." she hesitated and her eyes took on a soft hue that Yuya knew well.

It was the look Mahiro wore when she looked at Benitora, the way Okuni gazed at Bon, and she knew it was reflected in her own eyes whenever she was with Kyo. She could guess Saisei's reason's for fighting as hard as she did. It was the same reason many men and women fought.

However, she listened in silence as Saisei continued quietly, "I am nothing to the Mibu clan. A doll, a puppet, call me what you wish but...," she closed her eyes and the bounty huntress knew that her mind was somewhere else at that moment.

"…Hewas different," she continued, "He didn't see me as a decoration or a tool. He saw me as a comrade and he was the only person to make me feel human again."

Yuya wondered who this mysterious man was and the other woman filled in the blanks with her next words, "I don't fight because I am ordered to. I fight because he makes me feel alive whenever he looks at me or takes the time to talk to a corpse like me. I am alive and I exist because I fight for him and his hope for the clan. And that is why I can't allow you to pass this gate because I won't allow anyone to lay one hand on Shinrei!"

It was heart-wrenching to listen to her, to see her. The woman was barely able to stand upright but Yuya could see it, the strength that was given to her by her impossible love and she felt like weeping. It was, all of it, incredibly unfair. To love someone was one of the greatest gifts anyone could have and yet there was nothing Saisei could do about her feelings.

She didn't believe for one second that Saishi would allow any creation of hers to look above herself or have something that she couldn't and, at the end of the day, the rapidly weakening woman was not even supposed to exist. After five-hundred years of sleep, what would it be like to wake up and find that your sole purpose was to look pretty and fight for a people who didn't appreciate you?

While the young woman stewed over the tragedy of the situation, Saisei swung her weapon with painful slowness at Akira as she said, "Shinrei is proof that I am alive, and I won't stand by and let you hurt him!"

Yuya thought that even Akira could not remain untouched by the sad plight of his opponent but, if she expected him to simply dodge, she was sorely mistaken.

Instead, he raised his swords and, stepping forward, called out, "Muhyou Getten!"

His swords connected with and sliced through her naginata while spires of ice rose up from below and impaled her, destroying her pretty armor and raising her body into the air, holding it suspended for long seconds before shattering and dropping her back towards ground.

"Akira!" Yuya exclaimed, feeling a bit sick that he wouldn't even show mercy to a woman who was in no shape to fight him.

However, the rest of her words were lost as the blind man reached out and caught Saisei's body with uncharacteristic gentleness before she could hit the ground. A rattling cough sounded and more blood bubbled from between the woman's lips as she stared at Akira with eyes that were rapidly losing their focus.

"No. I...," she began weakly, "I can't lose. Not yet."

Akira's face was unreadable as he stared at the woman cradled in his arms and replied firmly, "No, Saisei, you've already lost. That's why you're dying. Because the two of us fought with everything we had, our hearts and our souls. Whether you are alive or dead, our fight was proof of that."

It took Yuya a moment to understand his meaning but she realized that he wasn't wrong. Saisei had fought as if she were alive and no one could deny that she was now dying as if she had been alive. Akira's expression softened and he smiled at the woman he was holding with a tenderness that she had never seen on his face before.

Saisei's eyes gleamed in understanding and her lips slowly curved into an answering smile as she turned her head to the side to look at Ryu who was sticking close to his mother and watching all of this with a sad look.

"Little boy...Ryu...you'll protect Shinrei for me the way he always watched over you, won't you? You'll let your father know about his goodness?"

She made her request slowly and laboriously and Yuya ached inside because, even in the end, she was thinking only of the man she loved.

Her son nodded slowly and Yuya could have sworn that the woman was starting to crumble a little as she stared up at Akira once more and whispered, "Akira of the Shiseiten...thank you."

Then she closed her eyes and Yuya knew she was gone. As the fallen warrior's body started to collapse, dissolving into a heap of dust and sweetly scented cherry blossoms that wafted up and away into the darkness, she had to blink back tears. Saisei, formerly know as Tomoe Gozen, was finally at rest but it was a bittersweet ending.

A somber silence fell over the group and the bounty huntress held her hand out for Ryu to hold as she said, "I'm sorry. I should have held back with you so that you wouldn't have to see that. I don't like the thought of someone so young seeing death."

"It's not the first time," he said softly and she wondered what else his young eyes had seen before his time.

"She...was in love with Shinrei-Sama, wasn't she?" he asked after a moment.

"Yes," Yuya replied.

"Do you think that's why she saved him when Hishigi almost killed him?"

"Definitely."

Ryu furrowed his brow and looked over towards Kyo, as if the pieces of a particular puzzle were falling in place but she didn't have time to question him further because Saishi growled in a most unladylike way and whined, "What a waste! I can't believe Saisei was so worthless in the end! Now I have to finish you all off myself!"

It was such a selfish and unfeeling statement to make about someone who had fought so hard. Yuya glared at the woman, wondering where she got off saying such things about a someone who - even dead - had more honor and depth of character than the person who brought her back to life.

Even though she knew it was unwise, she opened her mouth to berate the other woman for her lack of respect but Akari beat her to it as he held his shakujo up and replied, "I've had just about enough of you! I think it's time for the great Akari-Sama to show you what happens to skanks who can't cut it when they get shown up by a real woman."

The shaman took one step forward, his violet eyes flashing and his aura turning ominous. The feel of danger was strong in the air and she could tell he was spoiling for a fight.

However, Akira spoke up and said cooly, "This is still my battle. Don't interfere."

"But...," Akari began but paused and shivered, taking a step back as realization dawned.

Yuya was just starting to feel the intense cold as well when Bon's hand fell on her shoulder again and she heard Kyo say from behind, "Woman, brat...get back."

Hurrying their child away so that Akira would have space, she listened in fascination as the he said, "I am hardly a warrior of justice. I don't have the time to take offense at the Mibu for everything they do, whether it's the manipulation of the dead or the slaughter of innocents. However, one thing I cannot stand is someone who tramples on the spirit of those who are strong and noble."

He didn't even give her a chance to reply as he closed in on the smiling woman and slashed her across the torso, almost bisecting her completely except for a point down by her hip. She staggered a bit before her halves began to knit back together almost immediately.

"Really, for such a cutie, you sure don't learn. No matter how mad you get or how much you _say_ you want to kill me, there isn't a single one of you who can actually do it. You're so serious over a walking corpse who was of no account! Aren't you embarrassed?"

She spoke the last words as her face came together and her clothes fell to the ground.

"Oh my," she clapped her arms and hands over the important bits in a show of pretend modesty and exclaimed in a sing-song voice, "Now you've gone and destroyed all my clothes Akira-San, you're soooooo naughty!"

Yuya was disgusted by her display and tugged Ryu around so that he wasn't getting quite as much of an eyeful although he cranned his head a little because he didn't want to miss what was happening.

"Ryu!" she chided him softly.

"But I want to see how strong Akira-San is," he replied and there was something so Kyo-like about his expression that it gave her pause.

"You can't shield him from everything, woman," Kyo said and she turned to see him staring at their son with a look of understanding that made her feel a bit left out.

"You heard him. Saisei isn't the first person he's seen die and he's already watched Shinrei get a beat down twice. I'll do my part but a long as he hangs with us, he's going to be seeing a lot more of this sort of thing."

"But...," she began, feeling conflicted because her natural inclination was to shield Ryu from seeing so much violence.

"Woman, he's my child too. Let me handle it," his voice was gentle and she knew enough about his blood-soaked upbringing to leave things in the hands of someone who knew how to cope with it.

"Well, now that we've established that you can't do anything to me, why don't I have a little fun," Saishi's voice interjected into their conversation and Yuya turned as smoke enveloped the other woman's form.

When it cleared, she saw that Saishi had transformed into what she could only describe as a bunny girl. There were long white ears adorning her head and her arms and legs were distinctly rabbit-shaped as well. Her naughty bits were covered by strategically grown fur that added the bare minimum of modesty and she even had a little fluffy tail adorning her rear.

She giggled as she bounced in place, causing her bust to jiggle brazenly, and struck a pose that might have been cute on anyone else who wasn't such an evil person.

"Behold, my sexy fighting form. You should feel honored to see such beauty before you die. And since I can control the power of wood and my regeneration has no limits, I don't even have to worry about defending myself. All I have to do is...," she moved so fast that she disappeared and Akira had to throw his weapons up to block an attack from his right.

"...Attack! Attack! And attack some more until you die!"

Her laughter filled the air and trailed behind her as she assaulted the blind man from multiple directions, smashing her paw-like fists into him when he didn't move fast enough to block or dodge her attacks and leaving craters in the ground when she overshot him. There was no rhythm or finesse to her moves, only brutal determination to beat her enemy into a pulp and Yuya cringed everytime she connected with Akira until, at last, he was pushed back far enough that Saishi felt the need to pause and gloat.

"What's wrong, cute stuff? Don't want to fight back because you know you can't do anything to me?"

She laughed and hopped from foot to foot as she continued, "You are all so serious over people that don't matter. You were talking so big about how horrible I am but you haven't touched me once since I got serious. There's nothing sexy about a man who doesn't know his own limits and goes against his betters."

Akira maintained his silence for a long moment before he said steadily, "I think that you should be ready to pay for your sins with your life Saishi."

As he spoke, Yuya could feel the temperature dropping and realized that she would probably have been frozen solid if she had stayed in her previous position as ice crept along the ground from beneath Akira's feet and fanned out around him.

"A tasteless woman with neither technique nor grace in her attacks is truly an ugly thing to behold."

Saishi frowned at being called anything less than "gorgeous" as the young man finished, "And you have no awareness of your situation."

Saishi made a rude sound and placed her hands on her hips as she replied, "So you made it a little colder, so what? It's not enough to stop me."

"Is that so?" Akira grinned and it wasn't at all pleasant as he said softly, "Inferno's Chill."

The ice crackled and rose, forming crystals that were so pure that they caught every speck of available light and illuminated the darkness of the cave even further. Raising his swords, he held them at the ready and intoned words beneath his breath that Yuya couldn't quite catch but she watched in wonderment as the wisps of frost collected onto his blades until they glowed so brightly that it hurt to look at them.

"You talk too much. I like my men to be the strong silent type. I guess I'll put an end to this and send you to the next world so that you can meet up with Saisei again and the two of you can lick each other's wounds."

With her mocking grin firmly in place, she rocketed towards Akira with the intent to smash his face in and he nimbly dodged beneath her fists as he raked her swords across her body and called out, "Grand Cross!"

Unlike his previous attacks, this one didn't dissect her body. It only left a cross-shaped wound across her torso which began to heal almost immediately and Yuya wondered if Akira had run out of power as he stopped his momentum and - with his back still facing his opponent - proceeded to sheath his swords.

Apparently, Saishi thought he was too weak to continue the fight because she turned and giggled as she said, "I've told you a million times already, it's useless. I won't die from attacks like that. Since it looks like you've already rolled over in preparation for death, I'll be happy to grant your wish."

The blind man said nothing and Saishi shrugged as she rushed into pummel his unprotected back. Yuya's heart lept into her throat and she closed her eyes because she couldn't handle the sight of her friend being killed right in front of her.

She kept them closed right until the other woman's laughter was choked off by a horrified gasp and an audible thump sounded. Peering from beneath her eyelids, she opened them fully and stared at a single white rabbit paw that was laying on the ground. The ends of it were jagged, like an ice crystal that had been snapped apart and she watched as Akira's opponent took a step back, staring down at her body in horror as ice bled out of the places where the his swords had connected.

"N...no...my glorious body. Why am I not regenerating?"

"There comes a point at which living tissue starts to break down when faced with a low enough temperature. That attack spreads through my opponent's body and completely stops your it from healing itself. In the next life, reflect on your overconfidence and return to nothing."

As Saishi's body took on a crystalline shine and started to crumble, her last words were, "I never even got married!"

When she fell to pieces, Yuya could not find it in herself to pity to woman. To die alone and unloved was a fitting end for someone who had caused so much misery in life.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Far away from the site of Saishi's ignoble death, Shinrei paused as he was approaching the fifth gate. Glancing down at the young woman in his arms, he noted her softly slumbering features and knew that she wasn't the source of his disquiet. Now that Aiko had dozed off, he didn't have to struggle against managing both her emotions and his own. At this point, his only concern was running out of stamina because he was still healing from his encounter with Hishigi.

Golden eyes darted from one side of the pathway to the next, searching for some clue as to why he suddenly felt so sad. Well, perhaps sad wasn't quite the word. More like nostalgic...and appreciative. The way he had felt when he saw something beautiful as a child or the emotions that took him when he was admiring Saisei's emblem and speaking to her about it.

He liked her as a person. Although she was quiet and mostly kept to herself, he knew a kindred spirit when he met one. She was honorable - more so than the woman who pulled her strings - and he could not help but feel a sense of pity whenever he saw her.

She had no control over her life and yet she did what she could to help him whenever he asked and he wanted to thank her for saving his life when he saw her next, except...he couldn't explain it, he had a feeling that he wouldn't be able to fulfill that desire. A breeze came towards him from the direction of the gate and - if he concentrated hard enough - he could just make out the scent of cherry blossoms. It was a flower that he would forever associate with Saisei because it was reflected in the symbol she wore proudly and it the smell of it always lingered in the air around her.

There was no explaining it really. All he had was a feeling but his heart felt heavy because he _knew_ that she was gone in that moment and it...hurt.

To others, she might have been nothing more than a doll made of flesh and bones but, to him, she was his comrade. Someone who was every bit as important to him as any of the other Goyosei and all the more valuable because of the history she carried with her.

Kyo's daughter stirred in his hold and he stared at her, wondering for a bleak moment if everything he was doing was actually worth it. He was now an outcast, unable to even avenge himself for the death of a comrade because the two of them were forced onto opposite sides by circumstances beyond their control. The pain he felt was real and only because Aiko furrowed her brow and murmured his name sleepily was he able to will himself to move. This despite being plagued with uncertainty about who or what would be waiting for him on the other side of the fifth gate.

He didn't want to think of who else might have been lost that day in Kyo's quest to bring the Mibu clan to justice and so he pushed on. With each step, he silently reminded himself that he hadn't truly done anything wrong and that his defense of helpless children didn't mean that he was abandoning his family or his ideals.

It would be so easy to fall into the trap he'd been in for so many years. To go with the flow and pretend that things were alright when they really weren't just to maintain the status quo and keep himself from falling apart. But - as he opened the side door next to the gate and went through - he knew that if he chose complacency, nothing would ever change and things would only continue to get worse.

Thus, like the soldier that he was, he plodded on towards his goal and looked around the courtyard, wondering if anyone had come to guard the last gate. He also prayed that, if someone was there, it wouldn't be Chinmei or Hotaru because he couldn't handle either of them in his condition.

As it turned out, he wasn't alone but the person waiting was someone that he would never have expected to see guarding a gate in a hundred years.

"My oh my, what have we here? The diligent Mibu protector and a lovely lady," a smooth, slightly flirtatious voice said and Shinrei stared at the man in shock.

"So, what brings you to my neck of the woods, Shinrei-San," Yukimura said with eyes that were alight with curiosity.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Phew, that was pretty long but I hope you all enjoyed it. I was originally going to break the fight with Saisei and Saishi up into two chapters but decided that a hateful woman like the latter didn't deserve to have that much of my brain wasted on her. ;-P Besides, the show must go on.

Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.

P.S. Good lord, I re-read the fight with Saisei and Saishi in the mange and there was a ludicrous amount of side dialogue. Kamijyo-Sensei really stretched that out. -_-; Still love Saisei though.


	38. Shameless Flirts and Serious Guardians

**Thanks to: Azure** (It's alright, I hate Saishi too. She doesn't deserve the same peaceful rest as Saisei), **Rinfantasy** (Yeah, Saisei was really noble and she did not deserve to be stuck with an evil woman like Saishi. Also, Yukimura plus Shinrei equals a little bit of humor and doubly so because he doesn't know who Aiko is yet. ^_^), **demon89** (You probably won't read this for a while yet if ever but thanks a bunch for your reviews of the earlier chapters. Hopefully, you are still enjoying the story by the time you reach this chapter.), **magicalnana** (You'll find out what's up with Yukimura in this chapter. I know we don't see him often but, to be fair, we didn't see him much after Aokigahara in the manga either. More family time is coming up soon.), **DebyMU** (It's true that writing action tends to take a lot out of me but I was a little extra tired this time around because of my two real life daughters. Thanks for bearing with me on my errors and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. After re-reading the manga part about this fight scene, I think Saisei really just needed to rest in piece without regrets and Akira gave her that. Saishi on the other hand is wicked, evil, and horrible and I don't feel bad at all that she's gone. I'm also happy you enjoyed the interactions of Kyo, Ryu, Yuya, Bon and Okuni.), **general zargon** (I'll be honest, I did a mental happy dance when Saishi was gone. I really, truly, and sincerely hated her guts. I'm also super happy you enjoyed the action, getting it to flow properly can be a little awkward sometimes.), **lmamc** (You'll see what Yuki is up to in this chapter.), **Animallover** (Thank you for the lovely review. I'm glad my attempts to have the characters mature a little, such as in the case of Akira, aren't bothersome to you. Teasing Bon is always fun and I'm sorry I had to put you through Saisei's death. Even though she was a pretty minor character, I really respected her and felt she deserved to be put to rest properly. Saishi is just...ugh. I refused to write more about her than I absolutely had to. -_- Also, Ryu gave Kyo a look because, even though he knows his father loves his mother, he's still a child and Saisei's actions towards and for Shinrei are showing him just how far someone might go for the person they love. Basically, he's putting two and two together about just how deeply Kyo's feelings for Yuya (and even him and Aiko) ran when he traded himself for the life of his wife and children. Hope that makes sense. Lastly, don't worry about Yukimura fighting Shinrei, he's still a good guy even though he _does_ want to duel Kyo at some point, and you might be surprised at how things with Chinmei turn out. ;-P), **J Luc Pitard** (Sakuya kind of gave Yukimura instructions that led to him being at the gate but that's explained below. Also, Yukimura wouldn't be Yukimura if he didn't tease Shinrei or express his boundless appreciate for the fairer sex. Again, more on that below. ;-) I'm glad Akira's strides towards maturity worked for you.)

 **Author's Note:** Don't forget that the first part is told from Yukimura's point of view. So any comments he makes about Aiko and Shinrei's relationship to each other are because he has no idea who she is and because he's...well, Yukimura. ;-P

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Four**

 **Shameless Flirts and Serious Guardians**

Shinrei stared at him for a long moment and Yukimura smiled in return, taking the younger man in with eyes that missed very little and noting the tense set to his shoulders. The silver-haired man's body language denoted wariness, more so than usual, and the samurai decided that he looked like a man who had been caught doing something that he wasn't supposed to. He also thought there was a fair amount of pain etched on that eternally youthful face and, like the brilliant strategist that he was, put two and two together and realized the other warrior had to be hurting pretty badly to break his stoic facade.

 _'When opportunities come knocking...,'_ the nobleman allowed the thought to trail off once his analysis of Shinrei was complete and he concluded that he could probably take him on if they fought at that moment.

 _'However...,'_ he gazed at the beautiful creature Shinrei was holding and shelved his automatic desire to remove a potential obstacle to his goal of toppling the Mibu clan.

He could admit that among all of the women he'd known - whether in bed, out of bed, human, or Mibu - the female in the other man man's arms far surpassed all but two or three in looks and, even then, she edged ahead just slightly. In a word, she was exquisite and he couldn't stop himself from wondering if her skin was as soft as it looked or how that phenomenal red-blonde hair would feel between his fingers. Even in repose, her features were captivating, with that otherworldly aura that proclaimed her as Mibu stock. But, he couldn't help feeling as if there were something familiar about her features.

Like the consummate flirt that he was, he was dying to know if she was attached - although he could admit that he wasn't completely above stealing another man's woman. Still, he usually kept his hands away from females who were already in a relationship unless he felt that they weren't being properly worshipped like the goddesses all women were. His Ten always teased him about his philandering ways but he couldn't help himself. He loved women in general and pretty ones, especially, were his biggest weakness.

Still, now probably wasn't the time to wake the lovely lady and ask her out. And, spying the defensive look in Shinrei's eyes and the subtle way he tightened his hold on the woman - as if he were expecting to do battle over her - Yukimura decided that it was safer to tease him a little and glean information instead. Weakened or not, he was still one of the Goyosei and his abilities weren't to be underestimated. Too, he remembered his chat with Sakuya about the other man's personality and conceded that it would probably be better to feel him out rather than poke the bear by touching the woman he was guarding with such determination. His newly arrived guest ate, slept, breathed by his causes, after all.

With that in mind he held his hands up and said in a light tone, "Calm down, Shinrei-San. I don't bear you any animosity and I'm not overly fond of fighting a man who is obviously not at his best. Doubly so when he's trying to protect his lady from harm."

The other man stared at him with piercing golden eyes and the older warrior kept his expression calm and pleasant. As a general rule, he had avoided Shinrei for the past few years because the man never lost his suspicions about him and he didn't want anyone looking at him too closely. For all that he was certain that the water-user was painfully blind to what went on behind the scenes in the clan, he knew that there was a keen mind behind that stern façade and he had taken no chances on his plans being discovered. Of all of the Goyosei, Shinrei was the one he spent the least amount of time trying to charm.

Now, he was somewhat regretting his decision to dodge the other warrior so much. The eyes that stared back at him were set in a cold expression that was hard to read and he wasn't entirely sure what the key was to getting him to open up and talk. Just because he had a vague idea that the other man was in some sort of trouble, that didn't mean he would happily tell him everything - something which he found annoying since his curiosity was now fully engaged.

 _'Makes one wonder how he managed to charm such a pretty bird into his arms,'_ he thought to himself as he peered at the sleeping woman once more.

Almost immediately, the key to getting the man to "let down his hair", as the saying went, presented itself. If anything could get a man talking, it was to bring his woman into the conversation. Even Kyo wasn't immune to the ancient ploy, just look at the way he reacted whenever anyone's attention fell on Yuya or when she was threatened.

Yukimura allowed his smile to take on a sly bend and, leaning forward slightly, he said, "Since, you don't seem inclined to ask me why I am waiting here at the fifth gate, I'll start the conversation by offering you my congratulations."

That earned him a blink and then a frown as Shinrei finally opened his mouth and asked, "What are you talking about, Yukimura? And why _are_ you waiting at the fifth gate?"

"You know, the better question would be why the spot was open at all since, by all accounts, Kyo is _infiltrating_ the Mibu clan as we speak and you _are_ one of the Goyosei," he said it with just the right amount of insinuation to get beneath the other man's skin and elicit a twinge of discomfort from that stolid face.

He didn't give the silver-haired man time to think too deeply about whether or not he had just been insulted and instead plowed on pleasantly as he said, "Whatever the case, who can fault you for being reluctant to go out and fight with such a beauty to tend to? I'm dying to know...who is this magnificent creature? A lover? A wife? A candidate for concubine?"

With fascination, he watched as Shinrei's expression grew more and more uncomfortable the longer he spoke before settling into horror at the end as he replied vehemently, "I would _never_ take up with a concubine and she's a _child_!"

It was Yukimura's turn to blink in surprise. He stared at the young woman for a second before reaching up to tap his own cheek thoughtfully as he tilted his head to the side.

Slowly, as if he were speaking to a child, he said "Now Shinrei-San, I know I'm fourty-one which, I'm pained to admit, means I'm getting up there a bit by human standards. But, I _do_ pride myself on my ability to appraise females and that is a particularly fine one you are holding. No matter how I look at it, that face and those breasts don't belong to a child."

Shinrei's cheeks actually pinked a bit and he took a step backwards as he replied, with an edge of hardness in his voice, "Then it's best you keep your eyes to yourself. You aren't the first man to gaze lustfully upon her and I've already had to cut men down today for voicing their disgusting thoughts towards her."

His words pricked at Yukimura who scowled a bit and replied in a chiding tone, "There's nothing wrong with appreciating a beautiful woman, Shinrei-San. I promise you, most females like it when a man values them and takes the time out to let them know that they are special. Granted, some men are uncouth about it and should be reprimanded for manhandling their women but, as a general rule, admiring the female form is not a bad thing. That is surprisingly prudish of you."

The other man's expression only hardened further and he replied, "It's a problem when it comes down to molestation. This child has already suffered enough and your opinion on my personality is noted and ignored. There is nothing wrong with rejecting the idea of collecting women like toys, keeping them around just so I can take them out from time to time to satisfy myself on them. I do not believe in insincere flattery either."

Intuition told the older man that he had touched a nerve and was very close to bumbling into murky waters. Thinking back on it, he had never once heard of Shinrei having a romantic, or even carnal, relationship with anyone since he he'd been with the Mibu. As he listened and observed his companion, he realized that he was dealing with someone who held strong feelings about the way men dealt with women. Looking at the young man who stood there so rigidly - with tiredness etched across his features and arms that were shaking slightly from carrying a woman he clearly cared deeply about - he had a feeling that they were arguing the same point but from the standpoint of two completely different men with different experiences in life.

Yukimura adored women and, while he didn't contain himself to just one, he didn't believe in treating them badly or leaving them less than satisfied. To make a woman feel beautiful and appreciated _was_ his pleasure. He just couldn't bring himself to forget the one that got away or, more specifically, the one who was already long gone and waiting for him on the other side.

Then again, she was never truly gone from him.

The warmth of her blood on his hands as he clutched her, the last sigh that passed through her lips, and the way the light went out in her pretty eyes were all memories that would never leave him and would not allow him to forget his goals or open his heart again. While Mizuki's features might have faded a bit in his mind over the last twenty-four years, the feelings he had for her had been real and pure and they made his heart ache to that very day.

He wondered if something similar had happened to Shinrei to make him so defensive about the subject or perhaps his upbringing had not been as charmed as one might expect for a man from a wealthy noble family. Too, there was his statement about the "girl" and potential molestation. He had assumed that the younger warrior was being over sensitive to men who had expressed appreciation for her beauty but that was his own interpretation, prompted by the fact that he simply didn't know Shinrei very well as a person and based on his assumption that the other man's perception of flirting was skewed towards the negative in general.

 _'Careful, careful, Yukimura,'_ he cautioned himself before deciding to back off a bit to avoid making another blunder and putting the other man's back up even further.

"I think that I am making a mess of things, Shinrei-San," he said with a sigh.

Instead of waiting for a reply, he continued on with genuine sincerity, "I am throwing out all sorts of conjecture and doing a pitiful job of offering my help. I assumed that your pretty companion was of special interest to you since she is sporting your clothing but, I am not above admitting that things are rarely what they seem. Please accept my apologies for making you uncomfortable."

That intense gaze rested on him for long moments and he knew the wheels were turning behind it before the other man shifted his eyes further down the road towards the next gate. He held his silence for a while before nodding slowly and saying, "I...accept and offer my own. You could not know how much of an insult it was to refer to her as my concubine, not just because of who she is but because I abhor the very concept of them."

Yukimura could see a glimpse of those murky waters again. It was highly unusual for a nobleman to forgo concubines all together. Officially, it was a system that served to ensure that a man would have plenty of children to carry on his line but, in practice, many wealthy men simply collected all of the beautiful women they could get their hands on. For some, it was their way of protecting certain women by elevating them in status and for others – most, in fact - it was pure greed, like in Shinrei's toy analogy. It didn't take a genius to realize which type of man had turned the silver-haired warrior off of the concept entirely.

In a gentle tone, he said, "It was tactless of me. I only meant it as a half-jest. Though I will admit that, as admired as you are within the clan, I am surprised that you are not yet attached."

Shinrei chuckled bitterly and replied, "With the way things are going, there might not be a clan left for me to worry about. My family is suffering right now, of what use is it to pursue a romantic attachment? Or perhaps I should say, with the number of people who are closing in to tear the Mibu apart, there are other more important things to worry about. That's why you are here, isn't it Yukimura? You want the benefits of our strength to bolster your own but, at the end of the day, you want us to disappear as well."

It was too close to the truth and, listening to the slightly resentful tone in the weary warrior's voice, he hesitated to directly confirm his words. Yes, he harbored no real love for the clan but he'd seen for himself that they were in a bad way and there was something incredibly sad about watching a race of beautiful and powerful beings dying off with no relief in sight. Disease was not an enemy that could be fought by strength alone and even the vast knowledge of the clan was not enough to put a stop to it.

Unsurprisingly, the water-user immediately picked up on the way he paused and his smile was wry as he said, "You don't need to give me an answer. I've always kept an eye on you from the moment you came to stay with us. While you don't do anything to directly oppose the Mibu, you always keep your mask in place and I cannot trust a man who doesn't present his real face to me."

"Oh my, I'm so flattered to have your attention," Yukimura said brightly to cover his surprise. So far, he had been pretty successful at getting most of the clan members to relax their guard around him but he really had to give the man points for sheer tenacity and his accurate perception of his character.

"Still, while I'll own to wanting the Mibu to bow themselves out of human affairs and give up their constant meddling behind the scenes," he continued mildly, "I don't hate the clan. I'd simply prefer that they not interfere in my plans. However, this isn't about me. This about you being in trouble, Shinrei-San. But...," he gestured to the steps leading down into the courtyard, "I think you should have a seat first. You look like a good breeze will blow you over."

Shinrei grimaced but didn't disagree and, with only the barest hesitation, he walked over and settled himself on the first step, arranging his sleeping companion until she was sitting crosswise in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder and his arm supporting her around the waist.

"Are you sure it wouldn't be better to lay her down? That doesn't look particularly comfortable and I can't believe that she's still asleep."

"She's been drugged," Shinrei replied bluntly, "and the last time she woke up, she was so disoriented that she barely remembered me. I can't speak to what she'll do but her abilities are troublesome enough that, for the sake of my sanity, I'd rather not have to calm her down again just yet if she wakes up and thinks I've left her."

"Understood," Yukimura replied even though he was still mystified over the care the other man was taking with the sleeping woman. Shinrei wasn't at all the gentle sort but, there he was, giving forethought to a female's comfort. It was the sort of behavior that an unapologetic lover of all things with breasts could get behind.

Once the Goyosei member was settled, he sat down on his left and decided to broach the subject of his personal circumstances again, "So...about this trouble you are in. Care to tell me how it is that Hishigi came to approach me about guarding a gate when you should be here instead?"

To his surprise, his companion let out a contemptuous snort and replied, "So _that's_ why you're here. I guess anyone would do."

Since he was sure that it wasn't really intended to be an insult, Yukimura allowed it to roll off of his back and asked, "Are you in trouble with Hishigi in particular?"

"Trouble?" Shinrei repeated the word back to him and laughed with the sort of cold mirth that a man facing execution might display before continuing, "Things would have to _improve_ before I could tell you that I am in trouble. I've made an enemy of both the Taishirou and the Crimson King and now I have to turn to my enemies in the hopes that they can make things right. I've been lied to, manipulated, soundly beaten, and played for a fool. Add to that, I am quite certain that I've already lost a few of my comrades to death. No, Yukimura, the word 'trouble' doesn't begin to describe my situation."

"What I am...," he turned away and his shoulders rose and fell on such a heavy sigh that even Yukimura could feel how heavy the burden he carried was.

"...Is tired," he said at last.

The older man gave him his moment because he knew it was what he needed and a full minute passed before he said softly, "And yet here you are, carting around a woman when even _I_ can tell that you aren't at your best."

"I already said that she's only a girl," Shinrei muttered as he scrubbed his free hand over his face, "and I don't even know why I'm telling you anything when, as early as a week ago, I would have killed you for finally showing me who you truly are."

"Your honesty is refreshing," Yukimura replied drily.

"I blame her," the silver-haired warrior replied almost to himself and the other man listened intently, unwilling to break whatever spell that was allowing Shinrei, of all people, to spill his guts out to him.

"Hundreds of clan members who have known me my whole life and it took a child from the outside to give voice to my most innermost thoughts. Wringing promises out of me that require me to give up everything I've worked for to keep them. It's ridiculous."

His voice grew ever quieter but his words lacked real heat and the younger of the Sanada brothers knew that it was worry that was causing him to vent.

"Shinrei-San, I'm sure she would appreciate the fact that you are doing your best for her," he said gently.

"All I'm doing is keeping my word. I'd rather she forget everything that has happened from the moment I told her to run away. I don't even want to know how she still managed to fall into Hishigi's hands," came the low reply.

"I am not qualified to comment on that since I don't know a thing about the events leading up to this point. But I do think you are beating yourself up over something you have no control over. I'll assume that Hishigi has something to do with why you are on the run now. I can tell you now, with the knowledge I've gleaned about the clan's secrets, that he was eventually going to show you his hand and that it wasn't going to be pretty. Right now, I think your sense of honor is fighting with your loyalty to an ideal that does not currently exist within the Mibu clan. It a hard position to be in when one's faith is shaken. But, whoever this girl is, she'll love you all the same for whatever sacrifices you might have made on her behalf."

At the end of his response, he reached out to tuck a strand of red-blonde hair behind the female's ear, mentally sighing in admiration because she really _was_ a work of art. Shinrei turned to stare at him for a second before his expression froze slightly and he leaned away.

"I'd rather you not touch her," he said sternly and Yukimura held his hands up in a placating gesture – it was starting to become a habit when dealing with the other man's prickly personality.

 _'Looks like the moment, if you can call it that, is over,'_ he thought resignedly.

Out loud he said, "I won't hurt the lovely lady. I promise."

"It's not that I think you'll harm her, it's that you have a certain reputation with women in general."

Yukimura couldn't deny it. He _had_ flirted with and bedded a number of Mibu women because it had been four years and he wasn't about to go celibate for that long.

However, there was something so childish about the other man's reluctance to even let him touch the girl that he replied, in a slightly patronizing tone, "Well, as much as I pride myself on my ability to seduce women, I can hardly deflower her with a touch. I mean, if I could do that, I'd be bragging about it from the rooftops and dodging irrate fathers wherever I went."

He meant it as a joke but Shinrei's expression grew even more dubious, as if he wasn't quite sure that the older man _didn't_ have some sort of super secret ability to ravage innocent women through vague physical contact. It was such a crazy thought that he started to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the conversation.

While he was consumed by mirth, the other man's face remained stony and it was a few minutes before he could get control of himself enough to look at his companion from a brand new perspective. As a few of his mental blanks about the man were filled in, he said wonderingly, "You are a surprisingly pure-hearted man, Shinrei-San."

Confusion entered that golden gaze but Yukimura didn't elaborate, instead he said, "Since we've continually danced about this, do you think you can finally tell me who she is?"

The other warrior paused for only half a second before sighing again and replying, "She's...Kyo's daughter."

"Oh, Kyo's daughter, " Yukimura nodded slowly as he allowed that to sink in before frowning and asking, "You don't mean the twin of that little boy you've been guarding so faithfully these past few years? Aiko?"

Shinrei nodded and the older man stared at him in disbelief before giving the sleeping woman a second appraisal. If he looked closely, he could see a close resemblance to Yuya but the age was all wrong. She should have been almost four, not a lithe, adult female who was pretty enough to make any man's heart skip a beat.

Grimacing, he mentally slapped himself for drooling over her only minutes before and said seriously, "You mentioned Hishigi and I know he's been engaged in all sorts of strange experiments. Am I wrong in assuming that he's also responsible for this transformation?"

"No, you aren't and I still don't know the full scope of what he's done outside of giving her inherent talents a boost and aging her artificially."

"Hmm...," Yukimura did not at all like the thought of Hishigi expanding his reach to people who weren't originally created in his lab and he certainly didn't appreciate that it was with the child of two people he liked a great deal.

"Why don't you tell me what led up to her transformation and your poor physical condition and then I think it's time I tell you a few things I've discovered about your so-called Mibu Reconstruction Project. I'll also explain to you why I think Hishigi wanted me out of the way and thus, why I am guarding the last gate. At the end of it, I think the two of us need to have a long talk about Sakuya and the roles she has assigned to us."

Shinrei gave a start and stared at him wide-eyed, confirming the seer's statement that she had tapped him as well to help her carry out her plans. If his beloved miko princess trusted the other man, he would endeavor to do the same. While they each had differing personalities and goals, the fact that the younger man had thrown away his reputation with his superiors to do what he believed was right placed the two of them firmly on the same side.

Never in a thousand years would he have believed that zealous, self-righteous, rigid Shinrei would do anything other than what he had been ordered to and Yukimura, as jaded as he was by a long life of delayed expectations, suddenly felt as if a miracle was going to occur and soon.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Deep breath in.

Count to three.

Let it out.

Deep breath in.

Count to three.

Let it out.

Rinse and repeat for the next hundred years until she finally had the courage to knock on his door.

Tokito stared at the door leading to Fubuki's study, the place where he kept and organized his plans for the betterment of the Mibu clan. It was also the spot where he could generally be found when he wasn't conferring with Hishigi or the king or visiting members of the Goyosei to have them carry out his instructions.

She always felt so small when she visited, awed by the importance of a room that she viewed as the real nexus of the Mibu clan's goals and the grandeur of the man who occupied it. He was in there now, her senses confirmed it, but she was nervous and scowled at having to wipe sweaty palms over her shorts.

Fear wasn't an emotion she liked to acknowledge, except when she was the one engendering it in others, but it was appropriate in this situation since she was about to ask him questions that she wasn't quite sure she wanted answers to. More specifically, she wanted to know the truth but she was afraid that whatever she found out would alter her relationship with the man she admired above all others.

She was just about to tell herself that it was best if she forgot about satisfying her curiosity when Fubuki made the decision for her.

"You've been out there for quite some time now, Tokito," he said from beyond the door, "please come in and tell me what's on your mind."

Even with the wood between them, the richness of his beloved voice carried through to her clearly and she allowed a smile to touch her lips. She loved his timbre, that low, deep pitch that resonated through her and made her feel safe and secure. It was the kind of voice that she wished her _real_ father had. Whenever she heard Fubuki speak, she felt a sense of nostalgia, as if she were a child again, and she wished she could remember a time when she had parents who loved and cared for her instead of years of abandonment and mockery because she was the daughter of a traitor.

 _'Please don't make a fool of yourself, Tokito,'_ she silently pleaded with herself as she entered her superior's domain and closed the door behind her.

In front of her, the object of her adoration was sitting behind his desk but he rose and stepped around it as she entered, a slight smile playing across his lips as he appraised her with his black eyes.

"You are looking well, if slightly worried, Tokito," he said after a moment of her staring at him without saying a word.

It was his gentle way of prompting her to lay her troubles out before him and she took another deep breath, offering him a weak smile in return as she said, "I...did have something on my mind. It's about Muramasa..."

"He is securely tucked away in the dungeons and will not be a hindrance to our plans. You have nothing to worry about," Fubuki interjected before she could finish her thought.

Tokito shook her head and continued, "It's not just about him. It's also about my...mother."

Always, when she brought up the subject of her mother, the head of the Taishirou reacted the same way. His expression would freeze almost imperceptibly and he would say, "Unfortunately, she passed away quite some time ago."

His statement was usually followed by a change in subject and then she would take her leave once the conversation was over because she saw no point in pursuing it. After all, she couldn't reasonably expect him to know all the intimate details of someone else's wife now, could she?

This time was no different. The moment the word "mother" passed from between her lips, he tried to settle into the same routine.

"I'm sorry but she's been gone for quite some time now," he said, "It was tragic but life goes on and the Mibu Reconstruction Plan is coming along well. We actually have an interesting show set up for when Kyo and his group move past the last of the five gates. A test, if you will, of our latest creations. It's a pity that not even my best student will be there to see it."

There was real regret in his voice and Tokito wondered if something had happened to Shinrei before discarding the thought in favor of pressing on. Fubuki was trying to control the conversation and she was usually content to let him but, curiosity and a longing for something that she felt had been denied to her was eating away at her peace of mind.

Without dwelling on the consequences of what she was about to say, lest she lose her nerve, she looked him in those dark eyes and used the ammunition that Muramasa had given her.

"Fubuki-Sama, who is Hitoki? And what does she have to do with the Mibu Reconstruction Project?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Uh oh, shots fired. I have to end it here because I'm getting way too hyped and some things are about to snowball. Coming up next, you'll see how Fubuki reacts and Chinmei and a certain someone else shows up so we can finally see Akari in action. Also, the fight with Chinmei may not go how you expect and what's going on with Kyoshiro? Plenty more fun stuff coming up in the next few chapters.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and in case anyone was wondering about Shinrei's attitude, I've always felt that both Hotaru and Shinrei would have problems with the idea of concubines because their father was such a jerk. Granted Hotaru is more like, "Women, is that some sort of food?" and Shinrei is more like, "Women are nice, but duty first!". However, that's how I see the brothers when I picture either of them in a romantic capacity with anyone. Well, that and a slight innocence towards the workings of the opposite sex, but that's what fanfiction is for. ^_^ I want them both to find love someday but it's going to be a long road and probably a sequel before that happens.

As usual, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I like staggering the action with a dash of drama and I really appreciate you taking the time out to read this. Thanks and please let me know your thoughts.


	39. Truth and Consequences

**Thanks to: DebyMU** (Lol, sometimes it does feel like I need superpowers to keep writing but I'm happy I nabbed most of the errors and that you enjoyed reading the chapter and that the characters were true to their personalities. As for Akari and who shows up, it's someone you know, I've just changed the method by which she appears. You'll see what's up with Kyoshiro soon.), **Rinfantasy** (So glad I could make you chuckle in that awkward moment when Yukimura hinted at a romance between Shinrei and Aiko. Poor Shinrei, his humiliation just keeps on rolling. ;-) You'll see Fubuki's reaction down below.), **general zargon** (As always, it's a pleasure to know that you are still reading and enjoying the story even though the last chapter didn't have much in the way of action.), **magicalnana** (Thanks!), **lmamc** (Thank you.), **Azure** (I'm happy I made you laugh. Yukimura is such a ladies man and somewhat of a hopeless romantic that I couldn't picture him doing anything else but teasing Shinrei about "finding love". What will Fubuki do? Lose his oh-so-precious balance for once, that's what. Mwahahahaha!), **J Luc Pitard** (One Chinmei coming up, buuuuuuuut he's not going out for the count just yet since he's not waiting at the gate for the usual reasons. As for Fubuki, love your sarcasm and he won't kill Tokito since he does kind of care for her in his craptastic, abusive way. However, his equilibrium is going to take a serious hit and Muramasa will be getting a very pissed-off visit soon for running interference.), **kyoandyuya** (Most types of polygamy have some sort of strife going on and Hotaru and Shinrei's situation was no different. Their father did both of them wrong and his attitude towards Hotaru in particular really made me mad. I was like, "Wait a sec, you seriously had sex with his mother and never once thought about her getting pregnant?" What a massive butthole! -_- I figured that you were probably busy last time, especially since it _is_ the holidays so no worries.), **Animallover** (You said so many nice things and I really appreciate it but to avoid bludgeoning you with a wall of text, I'll address the biggest question. How old is Shinrei? In the manga, Yukimura is 37 – same age as Bon – and Kyo is 28. While it's true that Shinrei is a Mibu, there is no indication that their aging process slows down prior to reaching full adulthood – which is generally 24-25 when talking about humans – only that it stops completely at some point. He is shown as being a child at the same time as Kyo and, while he might be slightly younger or older than Kyo, he's definitely not older than Yukimura. He's just a part of the last generation of naturally born Mibu which dried up once Kyo showed up as a very young child. In this fic, he'd be very close to Kyo's age – who is 32 at this point – but he won't physically age any further and, by Mibu standards, he's still very young - certainly in comparison to Hishigi and Fubuki who are thousands of years old.), and **demon89** (Yeah, Hotaru is a tough nut to crack on the romance front and I definitely think there was something going on with Tokito at the end although I think Akira was oblivious to her crush.)

 **Author's note:** Star Wars is awesome! 2015 is now officially one of the best years of my life! Phew, glad I got that off of my chest. ;-)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Five**

 **Truth and Consequences**

Tokito admired Fubuki. Actually, she practically worshiped him. In her head she had built him up as a grand savior, the hero who had swooped down and turned her life around, pulling her away from dark memories of mockery and living hand to mouth. Long nights spent shivering in cold corners and hiding from people who saw her as lower than dirt because of her neglectful father had been replaced by power, status, and a warm, comfortable bed. And food, so much good food that she had wept the first time it was set before her.

Yes, her past was hazy, but her concern over the missing pieces had faded quickly beneath her newly elevated position within the clan and the delicious revenge she took on those who had scorned her. She was respected and where she was not, she was feared. The young woman was content to accept either result really.

Her only nod to the softer emotions was her feelings for Fubuki. She loved him, adored him, viewed him as the most important person in her life and the closest thing she had to family, albeit distant family. Her superior never got close to anyone but she just _knew_ that he cared for her too. Wasn't that why he guided and protected her? Wasn't that why he overlooked and covered for her faux pas in front of the Crimson King?

Tokito's loyalty was real. Her adulation was real. And these things lead her to watch him whenever she could, looking for any opportunity to further his goals. To look into his beloved face was her sole joy and she was so sure that she _knew_ him, that she understood him, that she saw him better than anyone else save maybe Hishigi. It made her proud to think that he showed her sides of himself that were closed off to everyone else. She was special to him, she was certain of it.

However, the moment those two questions left her lips, a change came over his face. It was only a split second and she might have missed it if she hadn't memorized all of his normal expressions. However, see it she _did_ and the young woman realized in that instant that it was quite possible that she didn't really know him _at all_.

Shock was there. Followed in quick succession by regret which bled into suspicion and then anger. His features took on a mask-like quality, as if he realized that he was clearly conveying the fact that he had been keeping secrets from her and wanted to hurry up and pretend that he hadn't been affected. All of this happened in less than a second - his composure was lost and then it was regained but he couldn't quite keep his emotions out of his voice when he finally replied.

His answer did not come with hesitation, a long pause would have roused her suspicions even more, but the tone she heard in the back of his throat was real, as was the chill that crept into his bearing.

"Where did you hear that name, Tokito?"

The words were simple. His voice was _almost_ normal but it was enough to evoke fear her. For the first time, she really gave thought to the fact that he was actually a very large man in comparison to her.

It was silly. She was one of the strongest people in the clan and size had never mattered before but something about Fubuki's current mannerism was threatening. There was an underlying brutality and heaviness of character that had only ripened over his thousands of years of existence until even his very presence could be wielded to powerful effect.

The young woman understood that a certain amount of intimidation was necessary when one wished to keep a clan full of super-powered, godlike beings in check. Yes, the Mibu had vast amounts of knowledge to go along with their eternal youth and vitality. But, ambition came part and parcel with such things and only a supremely powerful person could keep them in hand.

The Crimson King was that person and it was only logical that his right hand man would be the next strongest. She had always been incredibly proud of her association with such a man and the head of the Four Elders had never once turned that strength on her...until now.

He looked at her, with his flat, black eyes and she realized that it wasn't anger he was feeling. No, he'd progressed beyond that to pure rage in only a matter of seconds. And it wasn't the scorching kind of rage that burned and consumed. Rather, it was cold and sharp enough to cut a person to ribbons.

For reasons that she couldn't begin to fathom, her hands started to shake. She quickly hid them behind her back, unsure if she did it to avoid having Fubuki see her as weak or to hide her fear lest the unknown creature in front of her see it and use it against her.

It should have cowed her completely, for sure her curiosity should have taken a back seat to her sense of self–preservation but, to her horror, her mouth opened of it's own accord.

"Is Hitoki my mother?" she plunged on.

"How did she die? Did you know her? Please...," she trailed off, realizing that she was babbling and only making things worse by not rolling over and showing throat. Instead of talking, she was supposed to be asking forgiveness for her foolish, forbidden questions - like he wanted her to. Like she usually did.

She didn't - roll over and apologize, that it is - but she realized that he was in no mood to answer her and she bit her lip, turning away and making as if she would leave.

Naturally, he wouldn't allow that to happen.

Tokito was well aware of the fact that Fubuki didn't believe in leaving loose ends. Hadn't he reiterated that when he came from conferring with the king and explained to them that Kyo's unborn child could not be allowed to roam free of the clan's control, almost four years back? She had shown her hand and could not take it back, he knew that she had information that she was not authorized to know, else he would have told her long ago.

Cold, steely fingers closed around her upper right arm and squeezed just hard enough for her to realize that he could snap her bone easily. She froze in response and obeyed his unspoken command to wait, trying not to shiver at the current of violence that was filling the room.

If she hadn't seen his mask crack or hadn't spent years memorizing the sound of his voice, he might have sounded normal as he asked her gently, his tone the very epitome of reasonable, "Do you _really_ want to know who Hitoki is?"

She saw the lure dangling before her, teasing and tantalizing her with a glimpse into memories that had been lost to her. However, in her heart she knew that there would be a hook waiting to catch her if she swallowed what he offered. And so she said nothing and he waited a full minute before it became clear that she would not respond.

His hand left her arm then and she almost breathed a sigh of relief until it resettled on the top of her head. It was a gesture that he had performed any number of times, usually when he was about to impart words of wisdom for her to eagerly gobble up because she worshipped him so. This time, though, there was something oppressive about it and she felt like a mouse that had been pinned down by a lion's paw - small, insignificant, and easily disposed of with the slightest flex of the massive beast's claws.

"Please tell me, Tokito," he said, so kindly that it felt threatening, "Where did you hear that name?"

She had a feeling that he already knew and she almost opened her mouth to snarkily tell him just that, if only so that he would turn his rage onto another target and allow her to flee. But, something stilled her tongue. She could not avoid giving him an answer but she could perhaps influence the outcome.

One way or the other, Fubuki was going to be paying Muramasa a visit. How she responded would determine whether her father would live for her to see and question him again now that she had confirmation that there had been something to his cryptic words after all.

Of course, she bore no love for her sire but she didn't want him dead just yet. And Fubuki's anger was deep and personal enough that she knew he was not above taking the former Elder out of the picture despite the king's plans to make an example out of him publicly.

Licking her lips, she responded cautiously, "I heard it from Muramasa. I...went to see him to tell him that Kyo was here and that we would not allow him to accomplish his goals. Then I asked him about my mother."

It was a lie but a believable one and certainly better than telling him that her father had actually started things by trying to get her to question herself and what she had been told by Fubuki and Hishigi. That would get him killed for sure and, since it was becoming clear that there were specific truths that she wasn't being told, she was unwilling to give up the only source of information she had access to. It was greedy but she felt no pangs of conscience over it, Muramasa owed her as much.

"That was a foolish thing to do, Tokito," Fubuki said and his tone was slightly less menacing, giving her heart as he continued, "You should at least have brought either myself of Hishigi with you."

 _'So you could hide even more things from me?'_ she thought uncharitably.

Out loud she replied, "He _is_ my father. I...don't remember much about him and I wanted to know what sort of person my mother was since no one seems to know."

Although she tried to make her voice as normal as possible, fear that he would pick her lies apart made her voice quaver. But he couldn't see her eyes and because he knew that she had always wanted to know about the woman who had given birth to her, he merely assumed that it was emotion making her say and do silly things and his touch gentled almost imperceptibly.

His tone was pitying as he answered, "It is understandable and I haven't been the most forthcoming. Perhaps your curiosity might be satisfied if I tell you that, yes, your mother was indeed named Hitoki. Your name is actually derived from hers."

The young woman closed her eyes, savoring that tiny tidbit of information and asking quietly, "How...did she die?"

"From the same thing that is currently killing all of us."

She gave a start and turned around to face him once more as she said, "But I thought the disease was a more recent thing?"

"At the time, we believed it was a singularly unique problem," he said in a deliberately neutral voice and Tokito knew that he wouldn't elaborate.

Fubuki's patience was finite and she senses that his honesty was drying up the longer they spoke so she opted for a less offensive question to serve as her final inquiry.

"According to Muramasa, I look just like her. Is that true?"

It didn't show on his face but there was a pained air about him as he silently perused her expression before his black eyes slid away to look at something over her shoulder and he said blandly, "In certain lights, yes."

His body language was rigid and she knew it the moment he was tired of her presence. Her superior's words, his tone of voice, everything was becoming closed to her and she decided to take her leave lest she ruin whatever was left of his regard for her.

Making her way to the door, she paused on the threshold and said softly, "Thank you, Fubuki-Sama."

Closing the door behind her, she made her escape and was half-way down the hall before she heard the crack of splintering wood and wondered what on earth her superior was doing in his room. However, her survival instincts told her to keep going and mind her own business lest she take the place of whatever Fubuki was destroying.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The air over the group was somber as they made their way to the fourth gate. The entire situation with Saishi and Saisei had left a bad taste in everyone's mouth and each was wondering what sort of people the Mibu were to take a legendary female warrior like Tomoe Gozen and turn her into nothing more than a doll to fight for them.

Well, everyone was wondering except for four people. Hotaru, who had spent much of his life dodging assassins sent by his own father and trusted no one in the clan. Kyo, who had seen firsthand how the clan operated behind the scenes. Ryu, who had personally experienced what it was like to be helpless in Hishigi's hands and who had enough of his father in him to never forget the ill-treatment he had suffered. And Akari, who had once been the right hand man of the evil Doctor himself.

It was he who was thinking the hardest about their journey and what lay ahead. Akari did not enjoy being back in the Mibu clan. In fact, his skin had yet to stop crawling because everywhere he looked, he felt as if he could see an echo of the pain and torture he had observed while standing idly by and taking notes. It was all in his imagination of course, he had rarely ventured far from the labs and, to his knowledge, very few experiments took place outside of it.

Still his fear was real. He did not look forward to seeing Hishigi again. In fact he dreaded the meeting. To look at the man was to stare betrayal into his calm, one-eyed face and to remember the day he had learned that he was nothing and that the beliefs he had nurtured about fondness and acceptance were false.

In the end, his idea of friendship had been different from Hishigi's. To the shaman, a friend was someone you could confide your deepest secrets in, someone you could trust and open up your emotions to. To his former mentor, the man who had practically raised him, a friend was someone you enslaved and used to further your own ends.

It had taken him a long time to realize that the "special" treatment that had set him apart had been a form of enforced isolation to ensure that he would rely on Hishigi and Hishigi alone and follow his instructions obediently. He did not look for other friends while he was living amongst the Mibu because he didn't _need_ anyone else – not when he had been handpicked by one of the Taishioru. When everything fell apart, he was forced to face the harsh reality that he was alone and that the delusions he held about himself and his role in the Mibu clan were all a carefully crafted fantasy.

Unconsciously, he rubbed the back of his cursed hand where the Medusa Eye rested and relived the day he had received that life-shattering revelation.

 _"How could you, Hishigi?! I thought we were friends?!"_

 _"But we are. It's precisely because you_ _ **are**_ _my friend that I've given you that Medusa Eye, so that I can ensure that we stay good friends and so that I may keep an eye on you. That gift is proof that you are my truest friend. Your abilities, your sword arm, all have been honed for the day I could bestow upon you the highest honor. You shall be the captain of my guard, Number 13, no, my Ashura."_

 _"Don't call me that! Don't call me your friend when all you've shown me is a lie! This isn't what friends do!"_

 _"I'm not that kind of person. I do not make my plans for the sake of mundane things like affection, Number 13. However, I have always felt that you were a useful individual. You are special. My finest creation. My most precious friend."_

To date, nothing could make Akari feel any colder than Hishigi's words had. He had been so afraid at the time, quivering from his humiliating position on the ground where he had stumbled and fallen because he couldn't handle the revelation that he was truly going to become the monster people had always accused him of as a child. How cruel it was to finally achieve elevation from his own personal hell, only to be dropped back down into an even deeper level. The jeers and accusations directed towards young Tokichirou had become a prophecy that came to fruition at the hands of his own mentor.

His fears about being used as a weapon against his friends were still very real and he couldn't stop worrying about what would become of Aiko, especially now that he knew for sure that Hishigi had gotten his hands on her.

Casting his violet eyes towards Kyo, he noted with amusement that the other man's tiny doppelganger was doing his best to keep up with his father. He latched onto the lightness of the image and allowed a tiny smile to play on his lips. There was something incredibly heartening about knowing that, amongst all of the pain and separations that his very best friend and wife had suffered, something as beautiful as a child had been produced. He couldn't bring himself to be jealous that Yuya had achieved a higher status than him because, he moved his gaze to stare at the woman in question, she was an incredible person as well.

Yes, he felt a little lonely but - he looked at the rest of the Shiseiten out of the corners of his eyes - he was traveling with the rest of his friends after so long. They were an idiotic, rowdy bunch but he was content because he knew he was just as bad. Hadn't that always been his dream? To have people who would accept him and laugh whenever he did something stupid? They made fun of him and his crossdressing and he got a slightly sadistic pleasure out of bullying them but they were amazing together.

He still didn't understand the sort of love that Kyo had found with his bounty huntress, but he knew that he loved his friends dearly. They were the kind of people he had longed to be surrounded with growing up and he couldn't help but to try to get as much playing in as possible to make up for the years he had lost trying to be what Hishigi wanted him to be.

His memories of his friends, both past and present, were his treasure and he held onto them tightly because he was acutely aware of the fact that his former master was not done with him, that he would probably never be done with him. Someday "The Doctor" would demand a return on his investment and he wasn't sure that resisting the call when - not if - it came would be an option.

"Why so quiet, Akari-San?" a soft voice asked and he turned to look at the buxom woman whom Bon was pretending to dislike. Okuni, he believed was her name.

Usually he would have told her to mind her own business or said something particularly snobbish since she was an unknown factor and he was extremely leery of strangers. Added to that was the fact that she made him feel a little awkward. With her ridiculously huge breasts that were _not_ comprised of meat buns, curves that her robes did absolutely nothing to hide, and a height that didn't have her staring down at most people except Kyo and Bon, she was so quintessentially female that he felt out of place. Yuya was no competition for his looks but Okuni surpassed him and it chafed at his vanity.

However, he surprised himself by replying honestly, "I don't care for this place."

"Neither do I," she replied with a smile and he groaned inwardly because even her lips were perfect, it just wasn't fair.

She fell silent then, and he attempted to ignore her for a few minutes before his curiosity got the best of him and he asked bluntly, "Why are you here anyways? You have the look of a woman who likes to plot and I don't understand why you aren't at home, scheming up more ways to trap Bon."

"Oh my, is that how it looks from the outside?" she asked lightly, with such a breezy manner that he felt as if he had said something incredibly stupid. He wasn't quite sure what to make of someone who could outclass him in cattiness.

"Well, I suppose it might look that way to outsiders but, you aren't one, are you? Surely you know Bon well enough to know his likes, dislikes, and what he will and will not tolerate?"

It was a simple question but he had a feeling that, no matter how he replied, she would make it sound foolish. Besides, she wasn't wrong. He knew Bon, and understood that if someone or something truly bothered him, the big man would avoid it like the plague. Which meant that his disinterest in Okuni was all bluster.

"Point taken," he replied grudgingly, "I don't know what you see in him."

"He has any number of good points and all I have to do at this point is wait for him to come around since the groundwork has already been laid. I don't really mind since it won't be long now," Okuni replied with such confidence that Akari didn't doubt the veracity of her statement.

Putting aside the bizarre idea that such a ludicrously good looking woman had the hots for an ape like Bon, he recalled her earlier statement and asked, "Have you been here before?"

"Yes. In fact, I've spent the past few years dodging people who wanted to bring me back. Then again, I _was_ a spy for the Mibu – specifically Indara of the Juunishinshou - and they don't like people wandering free who know their secrets." 

Akari raised a brow, marveling that he was traveling with someone who was of the famed Twelve God Shoguns. He had never met any of the ones who left the Mibu lands and he knew that the four monsters Hishigi had been working with were supposedly members as well but seeing one in person was something he had never thought likely. With her looks, he didn't doubt for one second that she was very effective at her job.

As someone who had been a spy once himself, he felt the beginnings of a vague sort of kinship and replied, "I understand that position. That's how I met Kyo, fending off assassins who were hunting me down even though it was actually a cover. I was supposed to spy on him but...well, Kyo is who he is and I found I liked being his friend far more than working for the Mibu."

"It's not an easy life to live. Finding people you can trust is difficult and you have to sleep with one eye open at all times. In fact, I'd say it's a very lonely existence."

What she was saying was accurate but Akari wasn't quite comfortable enough with her to admit that she was correct. She wasn't Kyo or Yuya and - while he was not crazy enough to attempt to talk about his _feelings_ with Bon, Akira, or Hotaru – she was still a stranger and thus he was not inclined to give her anything else. He sensed that she was the dangerous sort of female who could wring blood out of a stone and he did not want anyone poking any deeper into his twisted psyche than needed. There were places in his head that even he feared to go.

So he simply said nothing and lengthened his stride until he was walking parallel with Yuya. She looked up and gave him a sunny smile that was so cute it made him want to pinch her rounded cheeks just because he loved to tease her and wanted to see what funny reaction she would give him this time.

Akari controlled himself though and she reached up to pat his hand but he caught her appendage in his own and squeezed it. Maybe it was because he did not view her as any sort of threat or because she was who she was and did not fear what he could do, but just touching her realxed him. She was Yuya, simple, honest, sweet and feminine but her femininity wasn't the sort that made him feel awkward, like Okuni. When he held her hand, he understood that his would never have that small, fine-boned feel to them that real women had but he could not bring himself to resent the difference. Not when her tiny fingers and palm were always warm and he had that sense of wonder in realizing that the masculine strength and dimensions of his form that he both loathed and hated could be of use.

To have even a bit of the human contact that had been denied him or doled out sparingly throughout his life put him at ease and allowed him to beat back the memories that made it painful to even set foot in the Mibu lands. His guy friends - Bon, Hotaru, Akira, and even Kyo - would not understand his needy desire to stroll hand-in-hand with someone but Yuya did and his heart warmed as realization lit her gaze and she whispered, "It's alright."

She knew his fears, knew that he had been ill-used even though he hadn't gone into nearly as much detail as he could have when he made his confession back at the Hell Gate. But her regard was still kind and he wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a friend like her, someone who truly cared and didn't think twice about his strange abilities.

He tightened his hold on her hand and asked softly, "Will you always be my friend, Yuya-Chan?"

Her green eyes practically sparkled as she replied with unquestionable certainty, "Of course."

Akari answered her with a grin of his own and looked ahead, wondering who was waiting for them and if he would finally get a chance to shine.

As it turned out, things took an odd turn when Kyo abruptly stopped and muttered, "What's going on here?"

Wondering what he meant, the shaman reluctantly let go of his friend and walked forward, staring at the scene that awaited them.

The fourth gate was in sight but, instead of one person guarding it, there were two. On one side was a man that he had seen occasionally in Hishigi's labs and knew to be bad news, Chinmei. On the other was a young woman that looked incredibly out of place standing next to a murderous dog like her companion. She looked to be about a very petite eighteen and much of her face was swallowed up by large, round glasses. Her hair was jet black and didn't appear to go much further beyond her shoulders and she was wearing a rather plain furisode kimono with long sleeves decorated with a large circle on the dangling ends. It was held together by a long obi whose twin ends trailed behind her.

She blushed and ducked her head down demurely the moment she caught sight of the group and Akari wondered why such a woman - who didn't resemble a warrior in any way, shape, or form – was there in the first place. He could see her skinny knees knocking from where he stood and he frowned, wondering if Chinmei was threatening her in some way.

"My, my, what a large crew you've brought, Kyo-San," Chinrei said jovially, a wide grin firmly in place.

"I knew a party was coming but I had no clue it would be such an eclectic group. There's that useless woman you insist on carting all over the place who brought your spawn into this horrible, wicked world. Idiotic Hotaru. Tsk, tsk, you should know better than to side with Kyo, young man," his tone was playfully chiding but Akari wasn't fooled one bit and neither was Kyo, who kept his expression stony.

"Moving on there's a giant, a young guy pretending to be a tiger, a man with a baby face and twin swords, and not one, not two, but _three_ pretty ladies although I think at least one of them has a little something extra under "her" robes," he punctuated his words by giving Akari a wink that made him cringe.

"Still, as much as I'd loooove to spend some quality time with all of the sexy ladies," there wasn't a doubt in the shaman's mind that Chinmei's idea of quality time consisted of blood, pain, and tears, "I still have work to do. It's a hard a life I tell you, making sure the king's plans stay on point. Work, work, work...all day long. Whatever, I go along with it because there's so much fun to be had and things are going to be so happy happy, fun fun, and peaceful at last."

"Who is this idiot?" a cool voice asked clearly and Akari turned to stare at the beautiful kunoichi with the wild hair who had stalked Benitora under the pretense of checking up on him.

"Stay out of it, Mahiro," Kyo growled and the shaman stared at him in surprise because he knew there was animosity between the two of them.

That strained relationship came to the forefront as Mahiro marched up to stand next to Kyo, scowling as she replied, "I don't take orders from _you_ , Kyo."

"He's not someone you can handle," he replied and the woman's expression became offended.

"I can handle myself just fine. Don't act as if you suddenly care. Your right to influence _anything_ I do disappeared eight years ago."

At this point, Chinmei, who had been watching this back and forth exchange with amused interest, clapped his hands together as if a realization had just struck him. Stabbing a finger into the air as if he had something profound to impart, he said cheerfully, " _Now_ I know why she looks so familiar. You're the sister aren't you?"

Mahiro turned to stare at the man with a puzzled look and said, "I used to have a sister."

Their enemy bobbed his head up and down enthusiastically and said, "I know right. Oh, what was her name?" he tapped three fingers against his chin in a rhythmic pattern as he searched his brain.

"Mahiro," there was a warning in Kyo's voice, a silent plea for her to heed his words and stay out of what was to come.

She ignored him and her face turned eager, hopeful, wondering if the man could impart some extra knowledge about the admittedly secretive events surrounding her sister's death.

"Mayumi," she said the name gently, fondness evident in her tone and Akari felt his heart sink. He knew that she was unwittingly giving Chinmei the fuel he needed to crush her spirit because he was exactly that sort of person.

"Oh yeah, Muramasa's broad. I remember her well. She got in my way when I came to fetch Tenryo and had to be put down. She was _so_ brave, _so_ determined but, alas, living was not in the cards for her. Unfortunately, I didn't wound her enough to put her out of misery the first time and she managed to get that magnificent sword to Kyo. You should have seen him as she died in his arms. His face was so surprised. Like, 'oh, I can't believe she's dead.' Then he got all mad and gave me a nasty cut. I still bear the scars from that day. Tragic just tragic, my wounds not her death, mind you," he shook his head slowly and shrugged as he continued, "But at the end of the day she was just a human and a woman at that. They are nothing special so not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The level of care I have is subzero."

He followed his tale up with a long laugh as he opened one of his fans and fluttered it about in the air. Poor Mahiro's face was stricken and Kyo looked as of his body had been carved out of stone.

It took a minute before the kunoichi could gather herself together enough to look at Kyo and ask in a husky voice that belied the tears she was holding back, "Is that true, Kyo? Is he the one who killed Mayumi?"

Kyo didn't respond, merely stared back at her with a blank expression.

Black-gloved hands shot forward and grasped the sides of Kyo's kimono, shaking him in the process as she demanded, "Answer me! Is he the one? And if so...why," he voice broke slightly, "why didn't you tell me?"

The Thousand Killer's eyes were flat as he replied in a low voice, "It might as well have been my fault. I was supposed to watch over her and I failed. Her blood is on my hands." 

"Kyo, that's not true. Muramasa didn't truly blame you and, if I had known I wouldn't, I wouldn't have...," her face contorted and she turned away, staring at Yuya for a moment before looking down and rubbing her hands over her arms in a self-conscious way that Akari recognized well. Perhaps he wasn't the only one who wore a glove to hide something away from the world - a secret shame or a painful scar.

Mahiro didn't need to say anything for him to realize that she had loved Kyo once upon a time and he could only imagine all of the should haves, could haves, and would haves whirling through her head at that moment.

Kyo let her be and instead glared at Chinmei and said, "We have a score to settle."

"We do don't we?" the other man replied brightly, "Unfortunately, I'm not here to do battle."

"Too bad, you don't have a choice," Kyo said and he took a step forward only to be overtaken by Mahiro who, with eyes tearing up, rushed the Goyosei member with a dagger clutched close to her body, deadly tip pointed outward in expectation of connecting with flesh.

"No one is settling a score but me!" she cried and Kyo reached out to grab her, swearing as she ducked away his grasp.

"Woman!" he exclaimed in warning but she ignored him and kept moving forward.

Chinmei merely raised a brow as the enraged female came towards him and she hadn't made it more than a few steps before he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Mahiro's sword arm slowed and then went sideways at an unnatural angle and there an audible crack as her bones snapped and she cried out, stopping in her tracks and clutching at her shoulder while her right arm dangled uselessly.

Yuya made a sound of horror and Kyo's grip tightened on his sword but he didn't move as Chinmei continued as if nothing untoward had happened.

"My job is not to fight you this time either. In fact, I'm just running an errand that isn't too dissimilar to what I did the last time you visited. Oh, except this isn't about you. Don't get too full of yourself now," he said, wagging a finger at Kyo as if the other man had committed a grave sin by expecting to fight him.

"The person I'm here to see...," the gravity-user continued and paused for effect.

Akari took that moment to move forward and guide Mahiro backwards because the healer in him just couldn't leave her be.

"I can heal you, but I need a secret in exchange," he murmured and she stared at him in shock, her mind momentarily taken away from the pain of her injury by the absurdity of his request, which was his intent.

As she mumbled something about being a little jealous of her sister and Muramasa when she was younger, he found the break in her arm with expert fingers. Meeting her doe eyes with his violet ones, he silently conveyed the need to set the arm and, with a deep breath and a grim nod from her, he pushed it back into place and watched as a lone tear escaped. He tapped into his ki and started the healing process as he listened to the rest of Chinmei's words.

"...Is him," he snapped his fan closed and pointed it towards the back of their group at Kyoshiro who gave a start and stared back at him in shock.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I just realized that there are some serious parallels between how Akira grew up and how Tokito grew up. Both were unwanted as children and had to struggle for a while before they found their legs and had someone they wanted to follow and imitate. I wonder if that's why the idea of the two of them as a couple was hinted at so strongly by the end of the manga. I think that once Tokito matures a bit, and gets the butt-whooping she so rightly deserves, that she will actually turn out to be a decent person. Ah well, it's a ways off for now but I look forward to it.

Action coming up next chapter and I'll explain what Santera is doing there as well as what Chinmei wants from Kyoshiro. As always, thank for reading and please let me know your thoughts.

P.S. If I had to think of the SDK characters in terms of a animals, I'd say that Kyo is a lone wolf, of course. Hotaru is a house cat since he sleeps all day but can be fierce...when he feels like it. Yuya is like a blue jay since she's so vivacious, talkative and busy and Akari is a heron, tall, graceful, and somewhat predatory but fun to watch. Yukimura is a peacock, he gets all the ladies with his looks, and Bon is a somewhere between a bear and a gorilla. Akira is an Akita, very protective, dedicated, and competitive. Shinrei reminds me of a Chow Chow in temperament, dignified, extremely suspicious of strangers, and extremely loyal. Fubuki is a lion with the mane to match ;-) and Hishigi is a snake, quiet and low-key with lots of hidden deadly potential. Sasuke is a young tiger, cautious but deadly.

What are your thoughts? What animal would your favorite SDK character be?


	40. Messages and Metamorphoses

**Thanks to: magicalnana** (Akari is such a lonely sweetie.), **lmamc** (Glad you enjoyed), **general zargon** (I love writing about Yuya and Akari's friendship. Yuya is exactly the sort of person that Akari needs in his life.), **DebyMU** (Akari will always be Akari. ;-) But I love writing about him and Yuya, they are such a lovely pair of friends. Fubuki will only tell Tokito a bit of the truth since she forced his hand but she was really pushing it by asking him. As for what happens next, you'll see below.), **Animallover** (I'm glad Akari is still in character, especially since he's such a complex person. As for Tokito, she has a really strong sense of self-preservation. ;-) I'm happy Bon and Okuni are working out as a couple for you and while I agree that Kyo messed up by telling Mahiro she couldn't handle Chinmei, she's also too headstrong for her own good. You'll see where I'm going with Santera and Chinmei and you are right, I forgot that bluejays can be pretty vicious. I have them all over the place where I live but I was thinking of their beauty and constant activity. My original tossup for what animal best represented Yuya was between a sparrow and a bluejay. So maybe she's more like a sparrow or a bird in the finch family? Thanks a bunch for the greetings.), **Azure** (Tokito forced Fubuki's hand a bit but he's not about to say more than he has to. Akari is fun to write, as always.), **demon89** (Yes, Akira totally respected Saisei though I'm not sure he would start to crush on her, he doesn't seem the type to crush on anyone and Tokito has her work cut out to get him to notice her outside of battle. Slight spoiler, Kyo and Yuya will have more children but I'm still working out the number and personalities, I would like a strong daughter with a bit more of a Kyo-like personality.), **Rinfantasy** (Fubuki is pretty scary and his strength is the real deal.), **J Luc Pitard** (I had way too much fun writing Fubuki's reaction to Tokito's questions. He's such a thug covered in a veneer of gentility. Since Mahiro didn't arrive at the scene of Mayumi's murder until after Chinmei was gone, he wouldn't have known she didn't know. However, she gave too much of herself away when she met Chinemi and he's the sort of person to pinpoint a weakness and make use of it since he's such a sadist. He doesn't care whether she knew or not, he just saw an opportunity to be cruel and took it. I'll handle Santera as delicately as possible. I always loved the part in the manga where Akari saved her and became her first friend/crush and I had to find some way to recreate that here. You'll see what happens below.)

 **Author's note:** Sorry for the long delay. I've been battling illness and some real life stress. On the plus side, baby number three is on the way so I'm super excited for that. I know this chapter is a bit rough around the edges since I rushed the proof-reading. Hopefully, it isn't too bad and I think I caught most of the errors but it's a little harder when it's such a long chapter.

By the by, Metamorphoses has got to be one of the weirdest plural nouns ever. It's so close to its original word, "metamorphosis", that I just have to shake my head. No wonder English is one of the hardest languages to learn. =/

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Six**

 **Messages and Metamorphoses**

As one, the group turned to look at Kyoshiro who was staring at Chinmei with an expression that could only be described as worried.

Akari couldn't blame him, anyone would be weirded out to have the other man's attention focused on them since it couldn't possibly bode well for that person. And Kyo's old friend wasn't looking at all well. With the practiced eye of someone who knew when one's health wasn't up to snuff, the shaman examined Kyoshiro's face, noting the signs of exhaustion and strain that were etched there.

Something was wrong with the man and as Akari mentally determined that he would take a closer look once they were beyond the fourth gate, Kyo stepped forward, withdrew his sword from its sheath and said, "Pretty sure I already said that we have a score to settle."

Chinmei grinned in reply and, tilting his head down just far enough so that could peer over his dark glasses with outrageously narrow eyes, he said, "And I already told you not to get so full of yourself. My business with Kyoshiro is a family affair. Your opponent for today is Little Miss Sunshine."

He jerked his head towards the young woman accompanying him and she gave a start, staring back at him with wide, guileless eyes from behind her glasses. Blinking owlishly, she moved her gaze from Chinmei to the rest of the group and started fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"I...I'm S..Santera," she said in that abstract tone that people used when they had been reduced to nervous chatter.

"I am eighteen years old. I...I was born March third so I think that makes me a Pisces. My hobby is playing Cat's Cradle and I can do a lot with a piece of string. And...umm...I guess that's my introduction," she blushed at the end of it and ducked her head shyly as she twisted her fingers together.

No matter how he looked at her, the shaman couldn't see how in the world she presented enough of a threat to take Chinmei's place while he did what he came to do. He was pulled away from his confused assessment of the stuttering woman's fighting ability by the earth-user's next words.

"Right now the clan in the process of reorganization and with such things comes a need to clean house. We're right on the cusp of building a peaceful new world and it's time to either put our tools to work or get rid of the chaff. Out with the old and in with the new and all that," he grinned widely at the end of the sentence.

The young, bespectacled woman flinched and Akari surmised that she knew Chinmei viewed her as "chaff". It was a cruel statement to make but not unexpected when one considered the source. To humiliate and dehumanize was Chinmei's way and Akari tightened his grip on his shakujo as the smirking warrior lifted a finger and motioned for the woman to come closer before withdrawing a syringe from his pocket. There was something black and oily inside of it that made the shaman nauseous just to look at it.

"That cannot possibly bode well," a husky voice murmured next to him and he turned to look at Okuni who had stepped forward and was observing the pair with eyes full of concern.

Her tone of voice put him on alert and Akari said, "She doesn't look particularly menacing."

"She is one of the Juunishinshou," came the soft reply, "and debatably one of the most dangerous ones, albeit unintentionally."

It was a strange statement to make but Akari put it from his mind just as quickly when the young woman took one hesitant step forward and then another. Her head seemed to sink lower and lower the closer she got to Chinmei and that ominous needle and the shaman found himself wishing he could march over and slap the offending item away. Everything about the woman - her body language, her shyness, her reluctance to do something that could not possibly bode well - were all earmarks of someone who had been given very few choices in life and it made him feel sick to his stomach.

The moment she was close enough, the wicked grin of her master widened and that hand, with its absurdly graceful fingers and that terrible concoction, shot out. Santera let out a tiny squeak of distress, letting the group know that Chinmei had hit his target, and the air grew heavy with anticipation as she staggered back, her pupils dilating for a moment behind her ridiculous glasses.

"I...I don't want to fight," she murmured, with a hopeless note in her voice, "I don't want to kill anyone."

She fell silent and went very still for a long moment and then she hugged her arms around herself as her body began to shake as her ki grew at and incredible rate. Along with that increase in power, came physical changes and Akari watched in morbid fascination as her skin and hair took on a translucent quality while her glasses slipped away from her face to land on the ground. Her head jerked back and he could see her pupils and irises being swallowed up by brilliant white as well before she moaned slightly and started clawing at her clothes, hastily shoving the sides of her furisode apart until she could work the garment over and down her shoulders, baring a fair portion of her white back and an indecent amount of her breasts which were surprisingly generous for such a shrinking violet of a female.

The shaman was wondering if that nasty mixture transformed the receiver into some sort of weird sex-fiend since she seemed determined to get her clothes out of the way, but that idea was shelved as Santera let out a little sigh and he saw why she was so eager to get her garment away from her back. Unfurling behind her - long, graceful, and transparent – were two beautiful, butterfly wings that sparkled and shimmered in the light. She flapped them once or twice, presumably to get the blood flowing through them, and each movement gave off little flecks of powder that gently floated down to the stone pavers and connected with a little hiss.

He didn't like the sound of that and a sense of foreboding pulled him away from the distraction of watching her metamorphose from a shy woman into a graceful, butterfly-like temptress.

 _'Well,'_ he eyed the color and decoration of her furisode, with its large circles on the sleeves, and the whiteness of her body and concluded, _'more like a moth, albeit a beautiful one.'_

Apparently, her transformation was complete because her body had stopped shaking and now she was staring at him and his friends with a look that sent chills up his spine. No longer was she the stuttering, mincing girl of a few seconds ago. Instead, she looked every inch the dangerous seductress with her cleavage on display and the hiss that sounded every time she flexed her wings and sent fine powder up into the air.

There was an acidic smell in the air that irritated his nose and Okuni lifted her hand, delicately covering the lower half of her face with a long sleeve as she stared intently at Santera and murmured, "I've never seen her transform like this before and it gives me a bad feeling to see her switch it up so abruptly."

"Is there anything we need to know before we fight her?" Akari asked softly.

"Just...don't let her touch you. Santera's body is unique in that it gives off a powder that melts anything it comes into contact with and the more frazzled her emotions become the more dangerous she is. By nature she isn't very aggressive but she can't connect with people very well either. I'm pretty sure she's gone her entire life without direct human contact."

Her statement made his heart clench – it hit too close to home. He understood her words so well that it made the hairs on the back of neck stand on end and only confirmed what he'd already observed. The withdrawal from the world. The awkwardness with communicating and making eye contact. The blind obedience towards someone who clearly didn't care about her.

It was uncomfortable and disquieting and Akari didn't know if he wanted to rage or weep for something that had been lost long ago.

However, Santera did not give him the chance to do either. Her expression hardened and she spread her hands out, stiffening her back before flapping her wings vigorously and this time there weren't only a few specks of powder that flew off to land harmlessly on the ground. What could only be described as a stream of the particles flew forward - spurred on by the movement of her wings - and it came fast and beautiful, a shining trail of concentrated, glimmering death that forced the group to part into halves.

He barely saw Chinmei take a jump backwards before saying cheerfully, "Whoops, better get out of the way. Don't want to have a meltdown."

The Goyosei member laughed at his own lame joke and summarily took to the air, hovering far above them so that he could observe the action from a place of safety while he fanned himself.

There was a loud sizzling sound and then there was a large furrow on the ground where Santera's attack landed, causing smoke to rise as the stone bubbled and melted away.

 _'That is some nasty stuff,'_ Akari thought, already formulating how he would go on the counter attack.

A loud growl sounded and he turned to see Kyo glaring up at Chinmei, doubtless infuriated that his need to fight the man was being thwarted. And if he could not go after the laughing earth-user...those brilliant red eyes drifted down to stare at Santera with a hard look - he would take his pet out instead.

He saw that callused hand tighten on Tenryo's hilt and didn't twice think before declaring boldly, "Let me handle her, Kyo."

A flicker of surprise went through those intense irises and he gave the shaman a long, assessing look before nodding. Akari answered it with a tiny smile and took his stance, bracing both hands across his shakujo and facing their beautiful enemy.

He knew that Kyo was probably wondering why he, who normally avoided fighting seriously lest he be forced to rely on his Medusa Eye, had decided to take on the young woman. In truth, he couldn't really explain why he felt the need to be the one to fight Santera but he did and she was there before him, glaring at all of them with an expression that he knew all too well because it was a reflection of his own face.

His heartbeat increased, and he took a deep breath, a thrill of anticipation going through him at the thought of using powers that he hadn't had to call on for a while. Although, he usually impressed his fellow Shiseiten into fighting for him in exchange for bolstering their own natural abilities, there were moments where he liked to have some good old fashioned stress relief. From far too many years spent chasing after Kyo when his idol seemed to fall off of the face of the planet to the knowledge that the Mibu had kidnapped and were doing Kami-knew-what to sweet little Aiko, he was feeling increasingly put out by the current circumstances.

Shooting a glance over at Yuya, who was watching Santera with an intensely thoughtful look, Akari's grin widened. He had another friend to consider too. They needed to get through this gate quickly so that they could get things moving and hopefully add another chapter to this little fairytale, preferably one where he got to see the prince and princess reunited with the last member of their family.

Kyo and Yuya, Aiko and Ryu. The demon, the bounty huntress, the little heir, and his twin shaman sister. A lump formed in his throat as he thought of gleaming red-blonde hair and trusting crimsoning eyes. He especially wanted Aiko back. It would be too tragic if that sweet girl wound up like him. Powerful and useful to Hishigi but twisted and half-broken in the process.

It would tear his heart to pieces if she were forever separated from Yuya, a mother who cared for and accepted her despite her abnormal abilities. From one shaman to another, he wanted her to have what he and most others of his kind had never had – a family who loved her.

As Akari gathered his ki, he prayed that he would not disappoint either of his dear, dear friends.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyoshiro felt as if he were in a dream. Or perhaps, it was more like a nightmare. In front of him, his friends were narrowly avoiding being disintegrated by a lovely woman with shining butterfly wings. And above him he heard evil laughter while a man straight out of his darkest days of existence watched.

The exhaustion that had been dogging him for days pulled at his limbs, making him feel as if he were moving through mud. All he wanted was to find a quiet spot, curl up, and sleep for the next few days. However, he knew that would never happen. Not as long as he was with Kyo instead of the place where he had been born to be. At the king's side and under his thumb.

Even now, he could hear that calm, cultured voice - with it's underlying hint of laughter – in the back of his mind.

 _"Come home, Kyoshiro."_

 _"Take your place, Kyoshiro."_

 _"Don't you miss_ _ **my**_ _precious seer, Kyoshiro?"_

And oh, how that last question stung. He missed Sakuya. Ached for her. The sight of his love, her scent, the sound of her voice, the shyly exchanged kisses that came only once in a long while, and the gentle embraces. He wanted her more than ever but he knew that it came with a heavy price.

 _'But the best things in life are worth waiting for,'_ he reminded himself.

But he was tired and optimistic patience had turned into crushing endurance. His mind kept going in circles and no matter how he tried to see his way around his dilemma, he knew there was only one path that would give him the opportunity he needed to save them both. If he focused, he could just see a narrow window that was open but eternally out of reach as long as he stayed with Kyo and the rest.

Although his friends had been surprised that Chinmei claimed to be present only so he could talk to Kyoshiro, the young warrior had known that his time had been cut short. An invitation was about to be extended and he understood that he would have to accept, there was no time left and no other choices open to him.

He was going to have to betray Kyo once more and, this time, do it in such a way that his old friend would never forgive him. He needed Kyo's strength, his boundless power and potential...he needed the demon that lurked just beneath the surface. And to accomplish that, he also needed Yuya.

The moment the rest of his group's attention was drawn away from him, he felt it. The tug on his body as gravity reversed itself and pulled him skyward, away from the people he loved and towards the man who was more closely related to him than someone so evil had any right to be.

Though it was never spoken of openly, blood called to blood. He could _feel_ that Chinmei was not so very different from him and it galled the sense of justice that his creator had worked so hard to exorcise from him. As he neared the other man, he took a moment to close his eyes and visualize what his last four years had been like. Specifically, he remembered Yuya, smiling and cooing at little Aiko who reciprocated the sounds and gestures as a baby. Yuya pushing him around but fussing over him at the slightest hint that he was feeling lonely. Then Yuya and the way she glowed after she was reunited with Kyo.

A part of him envied the fact that Kyo and Yuya were together again while he was still separated from his Sakuya but he could not hold onto such feelings. Yuya was the sister he had never had and Kyo was like his brother, albeit a surly and murderous one. But together, they were beautiful and he held on to his happy memories because soon, those sparkling green eyes would grow dark once she realized what he was going to do and Kyo...Kyo would kill him because he had to, because the Thousand Killer needed to be stronger than anyone to fight the king and save his wife.

"Daydreaming, huh, Kyoshiro?" that sarcastic voice broke into the pleasant images he had cocooned his mind with to find the strength to say and do what he must.

Opening his eyes, he put on his assassin's face - the one he had tried so hard to give up because it was connected to a life he only wanted to forget - and replied coldly, "Thinking of the number of ways I could kill you for interfering."

"Ohh, so cold. Or maybe I should say snooty," Chinmei snickered and peered over the tops of his glasses with a knowing look, as if he didn't quite believe Kyoshiro's words. Like he knew he was putting on a front.

"Call it what you will. But let me help you to save your breath. You're here because the king wants me to hurry home and take my rightful place."

"Ah yes, your place," the smiling man tilted his head back up, obscuring his eyes once more and making him look as if there were two empty holes staring back at Kyoshiro. It was a fitting feature for a man who was devoid of anything save the desire to make the world as empty as himself.

"You always _were_ his favorite. Young, strong, powerful, and obedient...and yet weak for that silly little seer. When will you learn that no woman is worth making a fool of yourself over? Do you look down on me, Kyoshiro, you who have the blood of thousands on your hands? Enough to make Kyo look tame by comparison."

Chinmei was taunting him but Kyoshiro refused to give him the reaction he was practically salivating for. Instead, he tilted his head to the side and stared at his "blood" brother with a look that placed him somewhere between an insect and feces.

Though most of his face was obscured, the other man's smile faded and his jaw tightened as he said in a low voice that would have terrified a lesser man, "Don't look at me like that, Kyoshiro. Like you are better than me. More righteous than me. We are the same and you can't run away from it."

Was there a despairing note in his voice? The younger man couldn't tell and the thought of Chinmei exhibiting any sort of deeper emotions gave him the creeps.

Thus, he decided to hurry things along and said, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I am not in the process of running away. In fact, I was already on my way back to the king. If you've come to pick me up, you'll have to return empty-handed. There are a few things I have to take care of but I had already decided to do my duty once we were beyond the fifth gate."

He didn't mention just how far beyond the fifth gate he planned to rejoin his sovereign. What he wanted, more than anything, was to see Kyo reunited with his daughter and maybe to hear the name "Kyoshiro Ji-Chan" once more. He would feel so much better about what he was going to do if he could see to it that Yuya's family was whole once more before he tore it apart again.

"And what is so important that you feel the need to keep the king waiting?"

"There is a bit more information that I would like to gather about Kyo and his friends first," he replied steadily.

"Oh, well I suppose that's alright but I suggest you make sure you are done by the final gate, Kyoshiro. We have a lovely surprise waiting for the Demon Child and friends the moment you get beyond it. The king isn't going to wait much longer for you to get off of your butt and do what needs to be done."

"I won't run, Chinmei. It's long since time for me to bring things to their natural conclusion, don't you think?"

The other man nodded and his smile actually looked genuine as he replied, "Yes, you'll make my dreams come true, won't you?"

Kyoshiro knew his dreams. Knew he wanted nothing more than absolute death for all living things because that was his idea of peace and, inside, he shivered at how blissful the older man's tone was.

Fortunately, Chinmei didn't expect an answer. Instead, he continued on, "Time grows short Kyoshiro. Don't dilly-dally too long. We have a schedule to keep."

With a wave of his fan, he sent Kyoshiro drifting slowly back to the ground, staring at him for a moment once his feet touched solid earth once more offering a mocking salute and flying off to who knew where. He was clearly unconcerned over whether the butterfly woman defeated them or not since it was apparent that her job was only to serve as a distraction so that Kyoshiro could be separated out for their little chat.

The former assassin stared at the spot where Chinmei had been for a long while and despaired because he knew the other man was right. He was running out of time, they were walking into a trap, and he couldn't even warn his friends.

Kyoshiro was going to have to take up the mantle of the king's successor and turn his back on his dreams of helping and healing people. He felt as if he were drowning in murky waters with no hope of clawing his way back to the surface if things went poorly.

He hated killing and betrayal. He hated the destiny that had been laid out for him at birth. And most of all, he hated himself for what he was going to do.

Closing his eyes and clenching his fists, he fought the desire to weep.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Akari was running out of patience. Avoiding Santera's attacks wasn't too hard but his pretty clothes were taking a hit. Getting close to the woman was out of the question as long as the air around her was filled with mist and she wasn't giving him enough time to use his Air Vamp on her.

He hated prolonged battle and his nerves were getting frayed the longer he had to dodge instead of going on the offense. The woman wasn't particularly strong either, which only annoyed him more. But the final straw was when she finally managed to do something that no one with any sort of sense ever attempted with him.

The shaman freely admitted that he was vain. That vanity was as much a part of him as his abilities to drain the life from his enemies or to heal his friends. He took comfort in the fact that, nine times out of ten, he was the most beautiful person in the room and, by far, he felt his best feature was his hair. Long, flowing, pink and stylish, he put a lot of effort into his gorgeous locks and never allowed anything that even remotely resembled a blade near his head.

However, Santera caught him by surprise. She sent an attack that forced him to dodge one way and followed it up immediately with another one, catching him in a pincer attack that had him whipping his head to the side to avoid having his face melted off.

There was a sizzle, signifying that her powder had connected with something and the smell of burnt hair filled the air around him. He froze and looked down as his tresses settled against his back and around his shoulders. There, on the bottom left side was a chunk of missing hair and the only indication that there had been any length there were a few burnt ends.

It was a mere fraction of his glorious mane and not something that couldn't have been beautified by clipping the ends and a bit of the surrounding hair. In the grand scheme of things it wasn't even that much damage and it was probably stupid to get overly upset at something so minor.

Akari took one look at the damage and saw red.

"Enough is enough!" he exclaimed, gathering his ki until a black aura surrounded his hands and shakujo.

"I've had just about enough of you, Little Miss Monster! It's past time for Akari-Sama to show you what happens to people who can't respect the sanctity of a woman's hair!"

As he raised his staff to drain her life-force dry, he paid no heed to the expression on her face or the words that passed her lips, nor did he hear the rapidly approaching footsteps or the feminine voice that called out his name. The rest of the group had already retreated into the background where they would have minimal dodging to do and thus he did not expect anyone to interfere while he killed the woman.

"Air Vamp!" he cried at the same moment a blonde-haired obstacle appeared between him and Santera, arms outstretched in a pleading gesture.

It was too late for him to stop the beginning of his attack and he watched helplessly as the black tendrils that were intended for the moth woman connected with a much nearer and dearer target.

A cry of pain rent the air as Yuya was caught in his Air Vamp and he hastily canceled his move to avoid syphoning her life until there was nothing left, rushing forward to catch her small body before it could hit the ground.

His pulse was pounding and his hands trembled as he laid his staff down and rotated his beloved friend in his arms until she was facing him. He shook her and pat her face until she opened dull green eyes to look at him.

"Yuya, you stupid fool! I could have killed you!" fear made his voice sharp.

She only smiled slightly in response, as if she understood that he didn't mean to be so harsh, and his heart turned over in his chest because she had no right to be so understanding when he had nearly killed her.

Didn't she realize how upset he would be if he hurt her? Didn't she know that she was one of his few friends and therefore immeasurably valuable to him?

He was right on the verge of blistering her ears with how stupid she was and how he couldn't understand why Kyo was married to such a reckless female when she said softly, "I couldn't let you kill her. She doesn't mean to hurt people and you would have regretted it."

"Now you're talking nonsense," he grumbled irritably before it occurred to him that Santera wasn't attacking, even though he had just given her all sorts of openings.

His head snapped up and he stared at his enemy who had gone still. Her body was twitching and the hands at her sides kept clenching and unclenching but she didn't make a move to attack and he realized that she was fighting with her herself. Looking at her pale, beautiful face, he saw that she was crying.

"I...I'm not," she whispered, full lips trembling with emotion as she fought to get her words out.

"Not what?" Akari asked, surprising himself with how gently his query came out.

"Not...a monster. I'm not a monster," her voice was plaintive and he could see hints of the shy young woman that she had been before Chinmei administered that horrible drug.

He felt that sliver of unease again. That feeling that he was looking at himself. A pawn trapped by circumstances beyond his control. The drug, her acquiescence with being used and cast aside because she saw no other way. It was Hishigi's handiwork he was looking at, he was sure of it.

The shaman stared at her for a long moment and knew what he had to do but in order to get his opening he needed her to be good and mad. So much so that she would fight until her bonds could be broken. Anger was good, anger was healthy, anger was proof that she hadn't given up on life and infinitely better than collapsing into a quivering mass of tears. He knew because he'd already gone through it himself.

"Help her, Akari-San," Yuya begged, slender fingers plucking insistently at his sleeve. He looked down at her, and smiled softly because she was such an idiot and he was just as stupid for caring about her as much as he did.

True to his contrary nature, he didn't give her a direct "yes". Instead he said, "We'll see," and motioned with his head for Kyo to come and collect his spouse.

The Thousand Killer, who had been watching the scene with thinly veiled annoyance, came over and plucked his woman up with a speed that belied his cool façade and, meeting Akari's eyes, he nodded and said, "Finish this quickly."

"But of course. After all, I am the great Akari-Sama, the best and brightest of the Four Emperors."

Kyo smirked, shaking his head in resignation before departing with Yuya is his grasp, who fussed and said she was feeling fine and perfectly capable of moving on her own. Green eyes peered over Kyo's broad shoulder and met violet and the shaman put her at ease with a wink and a flick of his hair before turning towards Santera once more and placing a hand on his hip.

"So, you claim you aren't a monster, huh? I don't know. You work for the Mibu and, last time I checked, _normal_ people didn't transform in bug-women and go melting everything in sight."

"Akari!" he heard Yuya's chiding voice in the background but ignored her in favor of watching the way Santera's face twisted up in anger.

"You don't understand," she cried, her voice stronger than before, "I don't have anywhere else to go. I have no other place but in the Mibu. What else can I do but fight?"

"Those sound like the words of a weakling. Oh woe is me, my life is so hard. I'm so pitiful. I have no choice. A monster will always claim they had no other choice but to be a monster," he kept his tone mocking and forced himself not to smirk because her ki was rising and she was no longer crying.

"Stop it! I'm not weak! I'm not a monster!" her anger was so intense now that it was palpable and the amount of powder in the air began to thicken until it appeared to take on a life of its own and little clusters of it detached and streaked towards him, surrounding him until he couldn't move in any direction.

He was forced to dodge again as the deadly little balls danged around him, trying to alight and burn everything they touched and it wasn't until he avoided one that was aiming for his precious face that he realized that the little sparkling balls were actually tiny duplicates of their mistress. Little naked women with gossamer wings and deadly intent. And each of them moved according to their own will since there was no discernable pattern in their attacks.

 _'That's just annoying,'_ he thought to himself as he danced around the little pipsqueaks, gradually working his way closer and closer to his quarry and smirking because he heard the clear sounds of labored breathing. She was running out of energy. Wonderful.

"Is that all you have?" he taunted, gifting her with his most supercilious expression. The one that drove his fellow Shiseiten crazy.

"Stop making fun of me! You don't know anything about me. About what I've gone through!"

He heard her words, listened to the underlying pain and felt an answering surge of emotion because she was wrong. He _knew_ her. Knew about her fears, her pain and her hatred because they were his own.

For a moment he was a frightened child again, clutching his staff and listening to the jeers and fearful ramblings of his fellow humans.

 _"Toukichirou is evil."_

 _"Toukichirou turned someone into a mummy."_

 _"Toukichirou is a monster."_

 _"That's right, a monster. What an awful, scary child."_

 _"Monster,"_ from his parents.

 _"Monster,"_ from his peers.

 _"Monster,"_ from the rest of the adults.

And no matter how much he begged and pleaded for them to understand that he didn't want to hurt anyone and that his powers could be used for healing as well, no one listened. In the end, he had crawled inside of himself, nestling his mind and heart in a dark place where no one could touch him, and he wished them all to hell.

It was too much. Too painful. Too heartbreaking to see someone else going through what he had and so he said, as he marched his way closer to Santera, "That's enough tragedy. I've already been there..."

Panic flickered across her face and she took a step backwards, sending out another stream of deadly powder that he deftly avoided and used to close in until he was practically nose to nose with her. He clamped his hand over her arm and pulled her close, gritting his teeth against the pain because her powder immediately went to work and started eating away at his skin.

"...Done that...," he continued as he dropped his shakujo and pressed his hand against her chest, swiftly locating the filthy thing that was making it's way through her system.

"Reject!" he called out as he shocked her system with his ki, forcing the thing that didn't belong inside of her to coalesce into a single mass which he drew out.

The nasty substance writhed for a moment in his purifying grip before he cast it to the ground where it quickly burned away into nothing.

Silence fell as Santera began to revert to her normal form, all the while staring at Akari with wide, shocked eyes there were freely overflowing with tears. Akari's hand was starting to kill him but he didn't let go, simply continued what he was going to say in a low voice.

"...And it hurts...doesn't it? You beg and plead for people to accept you, to understand that you mean them no harm but they run away and leave you with a loneliness so strong that you wish the world and everyone in it would disappear. And none of them understand that if only they would touch you, talk to you, love you...you would do anything for them because it drives those dark feelings away."

Akari hated public displays of emotion, preferring to play the cold, untouchable goddess because it was his armor, his protection, and the only constant he could hold onto in his chaotic life but the tears in Santera's eyes were too much. The sight of a kindred spirit touched him and so he put all thoughts of embarrassment aside, slid his arms around her much smaller body, and hugged her tight while she sobbed into his shoulder, letting out all of her emotional pain while he endured the physical agony of her touch.

 _'Just a moment,'_ he told himself.

He would let her have a moment, just long enough for her to understand that people like them could have friends, that eternal solitude and blind obedience to people who didn't care about them were not the only ways.

The shaman closed his eyes, counted to three and let her go, stepping back with exaggerated swiftness as he stared down at the front of his robes and grimaced. Santera's powder had really done a number on his carefully selected attire and he had a feeling that he would have to replace his current set of meat buns.

His friends were staring at the two of them and he did not at all like the smirk on Bon's face. Embarrassment reared its head and his cheeks heated. Then he got mad at himself for blushing and placed his hands on his hips as he declared haughtily, "That's enough of that. If I hug you too long, I'll be as flat as Yuya."

"Oh give me break," the blonde said, "You already admitted that I actually have a decent bust. Besides, yours are just meat buns, Akari."

Akari gasped in mock horror, placing a hand to his cheek as he replied, "How could you reveal a girl's secrets, Yuya?!"

Santera, who was swiping her hands over her wet cheeks by that time, stared at him with wide, slightly nearsighted eyes.

"Akari-San," she said his name hesitantly, as if she were testing the sound of it in her mouth, "could it be that you...that you are a...a..."

She blushed and trailed off and Yuya drifted nearer with a welcoming smile as she said cheerfully, "Yes, Akari is a man."

If possible, Santera's face got even redder and she said shyly, "I've never...I mean...that was my first time...being embraced...by...a...man."

Her words ended in a whisper and she clapped her hands to her flaming cheeks. Akari had to quickly dodge as a tiny cloud of powder rose from her skin in response to her emotional distress.

"Watch it, kid!" he said exclaimed before clearing his throat and saying in a calmer voice, "And while that's true, I'm a woman at heart."

A guffaw rose up from the general vicinity of the rest of the Shiseiten and he heard Akira say, "Only if that woman looms over almost everyone."

"Yeah, and also if she is a violent, two-faced, roughneck," this came from Bon

"And if she has balls underneath her robes and is named Toukichirou," this was from Hotaru who was lounging on the ground, clicking the bottoms of his geta together and staring at them as if they were the most fascinating things in the world.

Akari stared at his dear, sweet friends and reminded himself that he owed each of them a solid punch to the solar plexus for daring to contradict their betters.

A tiny sound reached his ears and he turned to glare at Yuya who was conspicuously staring off into the distance but her shaking shoulders gave her away.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell the rest of the class as well, Yuya?" he said it mildly but Yuya was no fool.

She just gave him a bright smile once she was looking at him again, held her hand out to him and said gently, "Seems to me that at some point you told me that you can't heal yourself. You don't mind if I patch you up, do you? Kyoshiro's made some pretty effective concoctions that should lessen the pain. You _are_ in pain, aren't you?"

Yuya phrased it so sweetly and he was such a sucker for having someone fuss over him – a very rare occurrence and certainly not something his other friends would ever do - that he only grumbled a little bit. It was just for show of course and he was perfectly content to hold her hand while she led him away to tend to his wounds. After all, if she wanted to spoil him, who was he to complain?

He paused at Santera's glasses, forcing Yuya to stop with him. Stooping down to scoop them up, he turning them this way and that to make sure they weren't damaged before addressing their owner.

"Hey, moth-girl, I think these are yours," he said, flicking the spectacles through the air at her.

She let out a squeak of surprise and hastily caught the eyewear, slipping them on quickly and peering at the shaman so intently that he felt a little uncomfortable by the close scrutiny.

Her lips curved into a soft smile and she said, so quietly that he had to strain to hear it, "Thank you, Akari-San."

It was gratitude that went beyond just returning her glasses and he inclined his head in a nod, winked back at her, and nudged Yuya along so that he could enjoy a well-deserved session of pampering at the hands of the bounty huntress.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hooray for character development and progress. Coming up next, Kyo and the rest finally catch up with Shinrei and Yukimura and I might reveal a bit more of what Fubuki, Hishigi and the rest have in store beyond the fifth gate.

Thanks again for being patient and for taking the time to read this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and I'll see you next time (which shouldn't be such a long gap since I'm feeling much better). ^_^


	41. Hot Tempers and Cool Heads

**Thank you: general zargon** (Akari is a wonderful character and he and Yuya play well off of each other. Chinmei will eventually get his and Kyoshiro is pretty pitiful, isn't he? It'll all work out in the end though.), **Rinfantasy** (Glad you enjoyed it. As for what will happen with Kyoshiro and body switching...you'll see.), **Azure** (I know, Akari is a true darling. I think that came through to Santera in the manga and why she seems to have a slight crush on him. I was never really a shy person growing up but I tend to attract introverts as my friends. Not sure why since I think I'm too pushy sometimes. Still, I'm glad you were able to grow out of your shyness. ^_^ Thanks for the well wishes.), **DebyMU** (Thanks for the congrats on my incoming munchkin. I'm super excited since being a mom is a lot of fun, if pretty exhausting at times. There is so much coming up for this fic and I can't wait to write it all. Kyo and Yuya will definitely meet up with Aiko and Kyo is going to be pretty mad to see Shinrei with his baby in his arms. More emotions and hopefully some humor coming up in the next chapter.), **Toreh** (Oh yes, Santera is safe and sound now. You actually nailed what I was planning to do, which was have her become Akari's apprentice, though more on that will have to wait until the sequel. As for a pairing, I always thought that it was possible since Santera has a crush on him, although any pairing with our favorite shaman is going to be a challenge to write because Akari is Akari. ;-P Thanks for the well wishes on my health), **lmamc** (Thanks, more goodness coming up.), **magicalnana** (Yuya will get a few chapters to spend with her family but it's sort of inevitable that they'll be separated again because Kyoshiro's betrayal and the loss of Yuya are the impetus to make Kyo strong enough to take on the king.), **Yira** (Thank you, that is very high praise. Have you by chance read the manga? It's much better than the anime.), **Guest** (I've already started Kyo down the path to seeing adult Aiko so I have to see it through but it'll all turn out well, though he might want to kill Shinrei for a moment.), **demon89** (Akari is definitely really complicated. For me, since most of my friends growing up and even currently are guys, Akari's personality and mannerisms are very masculine to me. As far as sexuality goes, I think his tastes run towards anyone who likes him for him. The closest people to him are Kyo – which always struck me as a rockstar-groupie type relationship. Next is Yuya – who he has a tiny crush on - and last is Santera – who definitely has a crush on him. I'll probably go with Santera _**if**_ I decide to do a pairing for Akari since I think they have a cute bond and he needs someone who would absolutely adore him. As for Santera's age, I've gotten conflicting messages on it. Seems to me that in the official English translation she was 14 but in fan translations she was 10. I lean more towards 14 since she looked to be slightly older than Sasuke who was 12 in the manga and the wiki has her at 14 too. Hope that answers your questions.), **Animallover** (Thanks for the well-wishes.^_^ I always felt bad for Santera too but I'm going to see about arranging it so that she becomes Akari's apprentice in the end so she won't be alone and she'll learn a skill that will let her help people. What Kyoshiro is doing is cruel, no two ways about it, but it's a selfish desire on his part to see them together first and it's best to think of it as a trade-off. Kyo loses his wife for a bit, but he also doesn't have to worry about rescuing his daughter as well in the process. As for why Kyo didn't catch Yuya, have you ever known him to really be able to stop her when an impulse grabs ahold of her? ;-) Sorry you saw all those poor dead birdies. =( The thought of a baby-anything dying, whether human or animal, just makes me sad.), **Nogizaka Ayumi** (Kyoshiro will be alright in the end and Akari is going to get Aiko back to normal. The thought of grown men drooling over little Aiko in adult form when she's still a child mentally is yuck for me too, which is why Shinrei got rid of them and Yukimura backed off. Romance is for when she and Ryu are really grown-up. I'm so happy you like the twists in this versus the original story and I freely admit that I started Midori No Me as a shameless ploy to have more Kyo/Yuya romance in my life. ;-) Thanks for sticking with this fic series and you'll see what happens as I go. There are a few more surprises ahead.)

 **Author's Note:** Sometimes a chapter just writes itself.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Seven**

 **Hot Tempers and Cool Heads**

 _The air was still and the room was filled with a musty silence, only punctuated occasionally by soft, shallow breaths._

 _Slender fingers entwined with his - small, frail, and dry like the hand and arm they were attached too. Blue-green eyes looked up at him, slightly dull but still gentle and full of love._

 _She was dying. They both knew it and the air around her was full of graceful resignation. A woman patiently waiting for the end to come._

 _"You won't forget me? You'll watch over her, won't you?" he could see the way she struggled to breathe around the words._

 _Her request was costing her dearly and he curled his fingers around hers, grimacing at how insubstantial and paper-like they felt, as if she were on the verge of fading away entirely._

 _However, his confidence did not waver. He was a talented man and powerful, both physically and mentally. His achievements were innumerable, piling about him and bolstering his staunch belief that there was nothing he couldn't do, that nothing could stop the Mibu from claiming their rightful place as gods. His resurrection technique was almost complete and he was sure that their separation, when it came, would only be temporary._

 _No hurdle, not even death, could stop him. She'd only go to sleep for a while and then he would bring her back and she would smile at him and he would prove to her brother that he had been right all along. That their clan had transcended even something as simple as death._

 _That belief lent his words strength and a healthy dose of arrogance as he carefully tightened his grip on her and said, "I could never forget you. Still, don't you realize by now that you can always trust in me to make things right? Isn't that my job as a Taishirou, to right wrongs and raise the clan to greater heights? And when this is behind us, I'll bring you out to the rest of the clan so you can take your rightful place among them instead of living in the shadows."_

 _There wasn't an ounce of doubt in his words because his convictions were firm, unshakable, full of faith in his talent for getting things done._

 _In response, his wife only smiled. Soft. Loving. Indulgent. And sad. It was as if she knew that she would make a liar out of him. That he would suffer from his failure, heartbreak, and the hopeless desperation that would drive him for years to come._

 _Outside the room, he heard the patter of small feet and knew that a tiny blonde head would put in an appearance before long. He steeled himself for her intrusion, resenting just a bit that he couldn't have his wife all to himself for a little while longer._

 _The door slid open a fraction and he turned, his black gaze meeting blue-green eyes through the crack. They were an exact match to the ones set in the face of the woman who was dying right in front of him and his heart contracted._

 _She was so much like his wife. A perfect miniature copy of his dear, sweet Hitoki and - for one very dark, grief-filled moment - he wished that she and his wife could trade places. At least then he knew he wouldn't have to endure the loss of the other half of his heart and soul, even if it was temporary._

 _It was a selfish thought and he discarded it as unworthy of him as soon as it entered his head before beckoning his daughter forward so that her mother could see her._

 _ ***End Flashback***_

"The preparations are complete, Fubuki."

That familiar voice - always cool, calm and collected – broke him away from his old memories and he opened his eyes to stare at Hishigi and the soldier next to him. Usually, the common fighters wore masks to make it hard for their enemies to distinguish one from the other in the heat of battle, but not this one and Fubuki stared at the man with interest.

Black hair that likely reached just past his shoulders was tied back to keep it out of his way and he noted that it was slightly unruly, naturally curling this way and that to try and escape the confines of the tail he had it in.

 _'Not too dissimilar from Kyo's,'_ the head of the Taishirou noted absently.

Even the man's facial features favored the infamous Demon Child, which wasn't surprising, considering his origins. Still, no one trademark gave more proof of his heritage than the two intense, red eyes that stared back at him and Fubuki had to stifle his automatic feelings of dislike. Even though he and Hishigi could both call forth their own red eyes, there was something inherently insolent about having someone who displayed them all the time observing him. They'd spent so much time instilling fear and distaste for those eyes into the clan members that even he wasn't immune to the effects of the propagandam they'd been spreading for centuries.

Perhaps it was in his head. Maybe he simply resented the fact that the answer on how to create new Mibu who weren't subject to the Death Disease had to be found in someone who was not only the child of an outcast but half-human at that. He would have been happy to accept even Kyo's blood as the catalyst for salvation since he was the sole inheritor of a pure, untainted True Mibu bloodline, next to the king. But that hadn't worked out. The battle dolls created from his genetic samples had been uncontrollable and they needed a new clan that could be imprinted with obedience to the Crimson King.

He simply hated the fact that they had to work with inferior materials. That the human blood in Kyo's half-breed son was what served to stabilize and push the Mibu Reconstruction Project forward.

 _'You can't really call human's inferior, though, can you?' a_ voice whispered in the back of his head and he grimaced because it was the truth.

At least humans left a body behind when they died. The current Mibu simply crumbled and faded away like the illusions they were. The final delusions of a people whose arrogance had destroyed them and left a clan full of pale imitations in their wake.

Realizing that both Hishigi and the soldier were staring at him, he made to rest his hands on top of his desk, remembered that it was impossible, and simply leaned back.

Folding his arms across his chest, he said, "Then it's time to move forward. Is the commander for these new troops in any condition to confront Kyo and the rest once they make it through the fifth gate?"

"Of course. Although he has the occasional brief period of confusion, his power is formidable – stronger by far, than the members of Goyosei. All in all, this will be a good test of the abilities of the new models and, if all goes well, we will obtain the next king in the process and rid ourselves of Kyo as well."

"Good. Carry on with the plan."

Hishigi nodded and Fubuki expected him to leave immediately but he lingered for a minute, flat eyes assessing the splintered wood that had once comprised the middle of his desk before rising to meet his with a faintly questioning look.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed over the evidence of his lack of control, the king's right-hand man gave the young soldier a hard look and said, "Leave us."

The man obeyed without hesitation, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him to give his superiors privacy. Unsurprisingly, "The Doctor" said nothing once they were alone, merely waited with an air of infinite patience for his old friend to unburden himself.

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he pulled up an image of Tokito as she had been not so long before. Staring up at him with a mixture of boldness and rebellion that he was sure he had torn out of her long ago. He'd believed that he had her cowed enough to keep her from looking at things too closely, from asking too many questions. Unfortunately, he hadn't paid close enough attention to her comings and goings, assuming that her carefully nurtured dislike for his brother-in-law would keep her away.

He should have known better and now she had torn open old wounds that he had licked again and again over the years in a pitiful attempt to heal them. Half of him wondered where she had found the audacity to question him about her own mother and the other half remembered that gut-wrenching scene when his daughter had shown him her true form and he saw Hitoki standing before him.

Tokito was so much like her and her very existence was a painful knife that twisted deeper and deeper every time he saw her. She was a living breathing reminder of his greatest failure, always trotting back and forth in front of him and blithely unaware of what she did to him, the emotions she stirred up.

She was a walking insult to his abilities and now he'd found out that she had been talking to her pretend father. It felt as if the foundations of the, already shaky, house he'd built around the remnants of his family had taken a direct hit, much like the desk which had suffered his wrath.

Staring at the splintered wood that he had pushed his fists through and torn apart in his rage, he said quietly, "She asked me about Hitoki."

There was no need to explain who "she" was and Hishigi asked calmly, "Do you need me to alter her memories again?"

Fubuki considered it and discarded it with a shake of his head as he replied, "No. I'll handle it. She's been talking to Muramasa and I think it's time to pay him a visit and explain to him what his role is to be."

"Do what you feel is best," his companion said mildly.

As usual, his tone was neither approving nor condemning. No matter what course of action he decided on, his fellow Elder would go along with it. His support and loyalty to their cause was unquestioning and he would do whatever needed to be done while he waited to die.

That was just how Hishigi was and Fubuki wondered what he would do without his old friend once the dark man finally closed his eyes forever and embraced the rest he so longed for.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You know, so far I've heard any number of things about what she looks like but only your mother can tell me about her personality. What else can you tell me about your sister?" Kyo asked his son as they made their way to the final gate.

"Ai-Chan is a lot like Kaa-Chan, I think. She's brave and she gave herself up to save me and Shinrei-Sama."

"So I heard," Kyo replied drily.

"Well, she's really nice. And we both always know how the other is feeling. Like, since I woke up, she's been pretty calm. I don't know why. Maybe she got away? I like being around her because she's very...warm."

"She definitely got that from her mother."

Ryu nodded and said, "I think that part of her scared Shinrei-Sama a little."

"Really?" Kyo found that interesting. He hadn't pegged the other man for being the type to run away from a little girl.

"She doesn't leave him alone. Ai-Chan said that he's always sad, so she kept picking at him but in a nice way, like saying good things about him and getting in his space. Shinrei-Sama likes things to be a certain way and she just does what she wants."

"Yeah, sounds like her mother through and through - the woman gets away with murder," he softened his tone just enough to let Ryu know that he didn't really mind before asking, "Is she stubborn too?"

"When she wants to be, very," his son rubbed his injured hand and scowled.

"Now I kind of wish I could have seen her running all over Shinrei. He's so stiff I bet he didn't know what to make of her," the Thousand Killer mused, partly to himself, as he gleefully pictured the rigid man losing his balance over his daughter.

Shinrei was such a control-freak that it made Kyo proud to think that one of his children was wrecking his carefully nurtured little world. Even though he was slowly being inclined towards forgiveness, he was still annoyed enough by the other man's core personality traits to take pleasure in anything that ruined his equilibrium.

Ryu chuckled and replied, "It didn't get better until Shinrei started training her too."

That gave his father pause and he frowned as he asked, "So he was teaching both of you to fight?"

"Yes. He said it would be good for my control and Ai-Chan kept telling him how pretty his dance moves were when we practiced, so he started teaching her too."

Kyo snorted in amusement, wondering how humiliated Shinrei would have been to have his deadly techniques reduced to nothing more than a "pretty dance" by his girl. Now he was looking forward to seeing her even more. However, he wasn't about to let his son learn how to fight from anyone else but him now that he had him in hand and said as much.

"You _do_ realize that I'm going to take over your training from now on, boy?"

His son perked up and asked eagerly, "Will I be able to call up a firebird like you can?"

"Eventually...if you're strong enough," he replied, his tone and gaze deliberately challenging.

The red eyes staring back into his gleamed and the tips of sharp canines peeked out from beneath small lips as his son smirked in return and said confidently, "I will be."

Kyo fought the urge to tousle the black hair on that tiny head and glanced back at the rest of their group. Their faces were etched with a mixture of determination and weariness, particularly on the part of his wife and he decided that they would rest for a bit once they defeated whoever was waiting for them at the last gate.

Truthfully, Yuya's exhaustion probably had a lot to do with her interference in Akari's attack. He was trying to decide if he should let her get away with foolishly putting herself in harm's way – she did it far too often and it irritated him – or if he should give her another lesson in self-preservation.

Question was, how should he do it? Should he talk to her or, his gaze fell to her mouth and he absently licked his lips, should he find other, more inventive ways of impressing upon her the importance of her role in his life and those of their children? He couldn't lie, the latter choice was far more appealing and he had to force his gaze away from her before he did something shameless, like kiss her and lick the length of her throat just so that he could enjoy the taste of her skin. Or, even more fun, slide his hands beneath her kimono and stroke her desires, make her want him the way he wanted her all the time.

Taking a deep breath, he controlled himself and dragged his eyes away, focusing on Akari and Santera who was trailing behind the shaman. The girl watched his every move with eyes that were so full of adoration that Kyo couldn't decide if he found her clear infatuation nauseating or hilarious. One had to question the sanity of anyone who took it into their head to crush on someone as narcissistic and difficult to get along with as his crossdressing friend but, in the young woman's defense, the shaman did have his good points.

Whether consciously or not, his mannerisms towards the shy girl were gentle. His sharp tongue wasn't quite so keen on her when he teased her about following after them like a little puppy and he fairly preened beneath her eagerness to please. Unsurprisingly, he was enjoying such focused admiration and Kyo wondered where that boundless vanity came from - even he had nothing on the Great Akari-Sama.

 _'It takes all sorts,'_ Kyo said to himself before turning his attention to the matter of Shinrei and Aiko.

He had every intention of teasing the stodgy warrior about being at the mercy of his little girl and for showing her his "pretty" dance moves. A tiny smile played about his lips as they neared the final gate and he plotted his avenue of attack.

Since the water-user was out of the picture, he didn't know who was left to fight but he didn't expect it to be particularly difficult since, to his knowledge, the only people who were stronger than the Goyosei were the Four Elders and he didn't see Fubuki and the rest bestirring themselves to fight him if they didn't feel they had to.

His spirits were actually a little on the lighter side for once as they approached the fifth gate and the two figures seated on the steps in front of the large portal. As they drew closer, he realized that there were actually three people and that one of them was seated on the lap and wrapped in the arms of one of the two men present.

The distance shrank and he paused, staring at the scene in front of him with curiosity and the first stirrings of excitement. Yukimura was there and, judging by the gleam in his eyes, ready and willing to fight. He had wondered where the other warrior had wandered off to a few years back but was not surprised to see him lying in wait and he tightened his grip on Tenrou in anticipation. He had been wanting to fight the other man for a while to see if he had the skills to back up that boundless confidence and endless meddling in the affairs of other people.

As he moved his eyes to the second person, his smile lost a bit of its luster. He hadn't expected to see Shinrei there and, least of all, cozying up with a gorgeous woman in his arms. Since she was neither conscious nor Yuya, he wasn't particularly interested in the presence of another female but he found that he couldn't take his eyes away from her.

There was something so familiar about her features that he found himself staring at her. For reasons that he was unable to pin down, she reminded him of his wife which was odd since, as much as he loved her, she wasn't in quite the same league at the sleeping woman as far as looks went.

It wasn't until she stirred and opened her eyes that Kyo felt a sense of foreboding. If he hadn't just seen for himself, with Santera, how easily the Mibu clan could alter someone's form with the mere prick of a syringe and the introduction of Kami-knew-what into their system, he might not have been suspicious. If he hadn't seen the sparkling ruby color and the narrow shape of her eyes, a perfect duplicate of his – more so than even Ryu - he might not have put two and two together. And if he hadn't seen the way the silver-haired man tightened his hold on her - his body language protective and, in Kyo's anxious mind, possessive - he might not have been so angry.

His smirk died, evaporating like a drop of water over an open flame, and Tenrou was out of its sheath and humming in his hand without conscious thought. He took one step forward, then another, ignoring the small hand that grabbed ahold of his sleeve and tugged, begging for his attention while he dragged its owner along.

Shinrei needed to die.

He wanted his head off of his shoulders and his blood on his hands. And then he would snatch the woman away who was staring back at him with his own eyes.

The young woman didn't take her gaze away from him and she shrunk back the closer he got, tucking herself more firmly into the other man's embrace.

The final straw was when he heard her voice. It was just loud enough to carry and her tone was plaintive as she petitioned the man holding her for help.

"Shinrei."

Her plea stopped Kyo cold.

She was begging his enemy for protection - from him. It was enough to give him pause and register the fact that Ryu was frantically pulling at his sleeve now.

He had to tear his gaze away from the disturbing sight of Shinrei reaching up to give her red-blonde head a reassuring pat because. There was nothing else he could do because if he didn't avert his eyes, he would act on the urge to tear it away, yell at him, fight with him for daring to touch even a strand of her hair.

Reeling from a head that was swirling with jealousy, protectiveness, and a whole cocktail of emotions that he couldn't put a name to, he stared down at his son. The child stopped yanking at his clothes once he had his father's attention.

"You're scaring her, Tou-San," the boy said.

It wasn't a fact that needed to be said aloud, Kyo wasn't completely stupid about emotions and he had invoked fear in his enemies enough times to know what it looked like. He just never expected to see it on the face of someone who he was quite sure was his own daughter or feel it buzzing in the back of his head, presumably by virtue of her odd powers.

"And who is she?" he asked though it was really addressed towards Shinrei.

He knew who she was. Her eyes belonged to him and her face had enough echoes of Yuya in it for him to identify her origins. But he needed the verbal confirmation because he was having a hard time processing the sight in front of him.

Shinrei holding his daughter and absently stroking a hand over the length of her hair while she shrank away from her own father.

Correction, Shinrei holding his unearthly beautiful daughter – who was wearing the other man's clothes and showing far too much leg - and absently stroking a hand over the length of her hair while she shrank away from her own father.

For a split second, his mind when back to a time when Yuya had done something similar in that long ago interlude after they got married. She had shrugged his oversized, black kimono on over her naked skin and he had thought to himself that it was right for her to do so because it was his. It held his scent, his warmth, and now it was holding his woman and he felt that it was a fitting mark of his ownership. Privately, he thought she was cute - all wrapped up in his garment like a gift - and then he thought she was sexy as he slipped it off and made love to her on top of it.

"She's Aiko. Your daughter and Ryu's twin."

Shinrei's plainly spoken reply to his question brought him back to the present and reminded him that there was nothing cute about seeing his child snuggled in the silver-haired man's embrace and wearing his tunic like her mother had done with his own kimono. Doubly so when Kyo considered the activities that had preceded and followed that little scene back in the guest house. Triply so when he caught sight of the defensive look in the red eyes trained upon him, as if he were in the wrong for wanting the man holding her dead.

Instead of following logic, which whispered to him that Shinrei wouldn't have shown his face in front of him if he held any ill-intent and that Aiko wouldn't have trusted someone who had hurt her, he felt a brief moment of panic. It was the same one that had overtaken him when he and Yuya were discussing their children's future in the dead of night and had prompted his adamant refusal to even consider the prospect of his daughter forming an attachment to a man who wasn't him. It was natural, the instinctual reaction of a father to the idea of _any_ boy touching his little girl.

For a second, he heard Hotaru's dryly spoken words echoing in his head again.

 _"Girl-Kyo is always chasing Shinrei around like he's her boyfriend."_

He'd finally put the stupid little statement from his mind only to have it taunting him again with a vengeance. A brief struggle to maintain control ensued because, in his heart, he did not want his daughter's first meeting with him to be tarnished by the shed blood of someone she obviously cared about.

Ryu must have sensed his internal conflict because he pleaded in a soft voice, "Please don't hurt Shinrei-Sama, Tou-San."

Kyo's nostril's flared in agitation at his request and he replied with deadly calm, "I don't want to hurt Shinrei-Sama, I want to kill him."

The mocking undertones in his harsh statement caused his son to flinch and he decided that it was best his boy learned early on that there was only one person who could make such an absurd request when he was so intent on doing someone bodily harm. While the violent man he was at his core wrestled with the version of himself that cared for his family, his rescue from his own inner demons came, as it always had, in the form of Yuya.

He sensed her presence behind him, smelled her before she even touched him and he drew the air into his lungs deeply the minute her small hand touched his back. He breathed her in, rolled her over his tongue and grabbed ahold of his control.

His wife's hand slid across his back slowly as she pressed in close, just a hint of the edge of her cheek and breast rubbing along his side as she glided around him to stare at the sight presented by Aiko and Shinrei. She said nothing for a long while as she analyzed the view and he found himself waiting to hear what her take on all of this would be.

"What do you see that has you so upset, Kyo?" she asked gently as she rubbed little circles on his lower back.

It was hard to hold onto his anger when she was touching him but his voice was still rough as he replied, "I see a man who's been more trouble than he's worth, holding my daughter like he owns her."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw her reach up to tap the side of her cheek thoughtfully with her free hand.

She took her time before replying, "How odd. I see a man who is incredibly tired and probably heavily injured. He seems to be doing his best to soothe a child who is almost certainly confused by a body that isn't truly hers. And, if you ask me, he's still pretty awkward at it."

Kyo looked at the scene again, particularly at Shinrei's hands as they stroked Aiko's hair and noted that his movements were jerky and hesitant, as if he wasn't sure if his actions were having any effect or like he was scared of hurting her. He also couldn't miss the signs of strain on his face, a sure sign that he was in pain and doing his best to hide it.

It was a point in Yuya's favor but he wasn't ready to let his reservations go just like that.

"She's beautiful," he said gruffly, as if that explained everything.

"Yes, she is. And when she reaches adulthood for real, instead of through the machinations of the Mibu clan, you are going to have a very hard time keeping men away from her. However, see my first point. Whatever weird or perverted things are going through your head, please try to remember that Shinrei is hardly flirting with her right now and that he doubtless understands that she is a child."

Again, his wife wasn't wrong and he had to concede a second point to her but he was just contrary enough to trot out one more argument.

Turning to face her fully, he said, "I can't trust him. Not just for what he did to you years back but he didn't even tell me that I had a son."

Yuya stared at him for a second before she turned her eyes back towards Shinrei and, addressing the other man, asked, "Why didn't you tell Kyo that he was a father while he was here these past few years."

The water-user looked shocked that she would even speak to him considering their past together but he answered her quickly enough with, "He would not have accepted Ryu. Your husband...is a hard man by nature and..I did not think it would have been good for your son to hear his rejection."

It was honest, direct, unexpectedly considerate of him and not something than anyone could argue with. The bounty huntress turned to her husband and said, "Considering how you behaved when I told you I was your wife, I can only imagine how that conversation would have turned out."

Kyo actually looked away from the intensity of her gaze because he knew exactly how he would have reacted if someone randomly claimed that he was the father of a child. Red eyes or no, he would have rejected Ryu as a matter of course and _that_ , he grimaced, would have been a bitter pill to swallow once his memories returned.

"Anyways, when all is said and done, even though he's done some pretty terrible things, Shinrei didn't let me die when he could have, after Fubuki left me on the ground. He's also done a good job of raising Ryu and Aiko loves him."

Her last words made Kyo flinch and he opened his mouth to comment but, with the uncanny intuition of someone who knew him far too well, she headed off his snarky reply with, "And I don't mean _that_ kind of love. She's just a girl and you need to get your mind out of the gutter."

The Thousand Killer grit his teeth and his wife graced him with such a sweet, guileless smile, that he felt like a fool for not looking at things more logically. She nodded her head slightly, as if everything was all nice, neat and settled and motioned for Akari to join them.

"I'm going to go over to see how my little girl is doing. I'm not sure, but do you think it's likely that Hishigi used the same thing on her that Chinmei used on Santera-San?"

"It's possible," the shaman replied with a thoughtful look, "in fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's some sort of mixture designed to draw out the latent powers of the person injected with it. If it's the same or similar enough, I should be able to return her to normal."

"Wonderful," Yuya said, letting out an audible sigh of relief and Kyo realized that he wouldn't have been doing any favors for her peace of mind by going on a rampage.

"Hopefully, that means we can catch up on what has been happening and then, Kyo," he inclined his head slightly towards her in acknowledgement, "you can go and fight Yukimura to your heart's content because, knowing you, you've been dying to rough someone up after sitting out the past few battles."

Her grin was knowing and he snorted in response because she was spot on and he didn't want to show anymore weakness in front of their friends.

"And maybe, you can see about helping Shinrei as well, Akari-San," Yuya said and the shaman stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Isn't this the same guy who cursed you and left Kyo at the mercy of Fubuki?"

His wife actually had the sense to look chagrined at that and replied, with a self-deprecating little laugh, "Yes, he is. And I might be asking something silly of you but...I can't help but think that we'll need all the help we can get and at full strength, Shinrei is quite formidable. It took Kyo three tries to beat him, after all."

Kyo didn't need the humiliating reminder of his struggles against the other man and he shot her a glare which she returned with an apologetic look. Akari looked from one to the other, then turned his violet gaze towards Shinrei and a mischievous smirk touched his lips. That look didn't bode well for the silver-haired man, who was watching their exchange with bemused interest, as if he couldn't believe that anyone could speak so casually with Kyo and get away with it.

"You're right, Yuya. Shinrei might be very useful and I'm _all_ for helping him...for a price," he said it so pleasantly that Kyo had to hide a smirk.

Whatever scheme was brewing underneath that pink hair was sure to embarrass his hapless target and he didn't feel quite as bad for not being able to fight the other man again. Besides, battling with him when he wasn't at full strength wouldn't have been the slightest bit enjoyable for him, something which he was certain his wife had factored into the equation when she interfered. He wasn't sure if he should be happy or annoyed that his wife was so smart and that she understood what made him tick.

Whatever the case, Yuya headed over to Shinrei and Aiko, the latter of whom was watching her approach with intent but soft eyes, most likely recognizing someone who wouldn't hurt her despite the fact that they had been separated for a while. Akari paused even though he too was caught up, as they all were, in the inexorable will of a small woman who could find good in the strangest of places.

Turning back to Kyo, he said in an undertone, "I've said it once and I'll say it again, your wife is a scary woman."

"Yeah, I know," Kyo replied, seeing no point in denying it.

"I think she's both your greatest strength and greatest weakness," the shaman continued and Kyo wondered why he was stating the obvious and asked as much.

"Why are you telling me things I already know, Akari?"

"Why?" the shaman looked away and stared at Yuya while he fiddled with his staff for a few seconds before continuing, "Because I think that the fact that you didn't remember her for the past few years served as a protection, both for yourself and the world at large."

"What, you're saying I'd have gone wild and destroyed the world up in my rage?" Kyo asked with a smirk.

"Yes," Akari said, his tone completely serious.

The Thousand Killer stared at him in disbelief while he elaborated in an even voice, "She carries your heart, Kyo. You always had your scary moments but there's an extra edge of wildness that comes into play when Yuya is involved. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing but I'm saying that...you should give serious thought to what you'll do if something should happen to her."

"Nothing is going to happen to her," Kyo replied, unwilling to consider the idea that he might fail to protect her again.

"She has a soft heart and she loves her friends and family wholeheartedly, almost to her detriment. What if someone uses that to steal her away?"

"Then I'll go and get her back," he replied harshly.

"And if she should lose her life in the process. What will you do then? What will you become?"

Just the thought of Yuya dying made the demon that slept inside of him wake up and howl with rage and so Kyo said nothing. And in his silence and the thickening atmosphere that preceded the rising tide of his natural lust for blood, Akari received the answer he was looking for.

"Oh, don't look so scary, Kyo. You'll make my poor heart go into palpitations," the shaman said in an air tone that rang hollow and sat awkwardly in the air before he turned away and strode off to catch up with Yuya.

Kyo simply stood there and watched them as they bantered back and forth while Shinrei sat there stiffly, holding onto Aiko and observing the two with a wary golden gaze.

He drank in the sight of his pretty wife with her golden hair, brilliant green eyes, and laughing mouth and silently whispered to himself.

"Mine."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Dang it, I wanted more humor but it didn't feel quite right. Plus, I have to set things up for when Kyoshiro goes AWOL with Yuya in tow. I'll make it up to you all with the next chapter. Aiko will be back to normal and she gets to have fun with her super handsome dad and maybe embarrass Shinrei in the process because, why not? ^_^

Thanks for taking the time to read this chapter and please let me know your thoughts.


	42. Darling Daughters and Hidden Snakes

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (Poor Kyo doesn't know what to do. Lol.), **DebyMU** (Yup, Kyo has to be careful not to scare his girl off. Next chapter, I'm aiming for more humor since Aiko gets to finally meet the beloved daddy she's heard so much about. Fubuki won't be waiting right after the last gate but Hishigi probably will and a few other people too. Thanks, as always for the encouragement.), **kyoandyuya** (Yuya pulled Shinrei's butt out of the fire, otherwise Kyo would have hurt him, lol. Don't worry, everyone needs a break now and then and it's harder to wait for a story to be finished when you go chapter by chapter. I figured you were busy with real life.), **Animallover** (Yeah, the Mibu in general have some real problems with arrogance which is why Kyo needed to bring them back down to earth. And you aren't wrong, it's incredibly presumptuous for the Mibu to view themselves as gods. Fubuki won't hurt Muramasa, Tokito actually spared him from her father's wrath NH shouldering the blame for asking about her mother, but he is going to try and warn Muramasa off. We'll see how well that goes. ;-) Super dad Kyo is so much fun to write and I hope to have a bit of humor and cuteness in the next chapter between him, Aiko, and Shinrei. I may or may not have Yuya tell Kyo about Shinrei, Saisei, and Saishi, it depends on if I can work it in but she did save Shinrei because Kyo was about to go thermonuclear on him, lol. I look forward to a time when I can write about Aiko and Ryu as adults and don't worry about Yuya aging faster than Kyo. Remember, the Mibu have ways of cheating death but I can't say more without spoiling the end.), **general zargon** (Agreed, there are going to be some awkward moments, especially once Aiko and Ryu grow up. Poor Kyo won't know what to do with a daughter who is old enough to think about marriage and the like. As usual, Yuya serves as Kyo's balance. ^_^), **ThunderxShadow** (I legit want Kyo and Yuya to get it on again but I can't think of a way to swing it while they are in Mibu territory. There aren't too many nooks and crannies and they just got both their kids back. So I have to settle for more flirting and a promise of things to come. =( As for grown Aiko, Shinrei, and what becomes of them...that's in the sequel. ;-) Things won't necessarily stay platonic forever, especially when you have eternity ahead.), **magicalnana** (I know, I wanted more humor too but hopefully I can make it up to you in this chapter. Spoiler alert, Aiko is going to wrap Kyo around her finger. ^_^), **lmamc** (Thanks.), **Yira** (It was always weird how Yukimura just sort of disappeared except for a few appearances after Aokigahara but I do think he's pretty strong although not at the same level as Kyo and the Four Emperors. I wish I could avoid Kyoshiro kidnapping Yuya but, since he isn't getting his hands on Kyo's body this time around and Yuya is now Kyo's wife, it makes sense that she would be the trigger to get him to ascend to god-hood as it were. I always thought Shinrei would make a good husband and father since he is so dedicated to his family and he even invited the people from Aikogahara to live in the Mibu lands.), **Azure** (No one can make Kyo do anything he doesn't want to do...except Yuya =P. Any romance with Akari would have to be done carefully. That said, I think his sexual preference is anyone who likes him for him. I had to ask myself if he likes Kyo so much because Kyo is a guy or because Kyo didn't bat an eyelash at his shamanic powers and, taking into account his interactions with Yuya, I lean far more heavily to the latter than the former. Kamijyo-Sensei really did leave it up in the air but I have to decide if I want to go forward with him and Santera, or deal with fans who have their heart set on seeing him with a guy even though he really could go either way.), **topezhazelwolf** (I'm so happy you are still enjoying the story and hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

 **Author's Note:** Don't forget that Aiko means Love Child. There is a sentence or two that uses the double meaning to address Aiko and what she is to Kyo and Yuya.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Eight**

 **Darling Daughters and Hidden Snakes**

 _'She really is going to be beautiful,'_ Yuya thought proudly, marveling at the fine construction of the face in front of her.

Running a reassuring hand over her transformed daughter's soft, red-blonde hair, she smiled as the ruby eyes that stared back into hers closed partly in pleasure and that head tilted closer to her fingers, seeking the comfort of her mother's warmth. She could feel Aiko's contentment and trust as if it were her own and was fascinated at how much stronger Aiko's abilities had grown since they were separated.

"I know and I'm actually a little jealous," Akari replied and Yuya blinked, realizing that she had spoken her thoughts out loud.

Turning to grin at the shaman, she said soothingly, "It's alright. You are still prettier than any man or woman has the right to be."

That appeared to mollify her vain friend who fluffed his hair a bit and replied, "Well, I _suppose_ it's alright. She _is_ Kyo's child and _you_ should be happy you actually managed to produce someone so gorgeous."

The implication being that Yuya was so plain that Aiko's good looks were miraculous indeed. However, there was a hint of laughter beneath the snark and she knew he was teasing her yet again.

Rolling her eyes at Akari's mischievous antics, she continued assessing her daughter's well being. There had been a brief moment, when she and the shaman first approached her fearful child, where Aiko had pressed herself closer to her silver-haired guardian and whispered his name, staring at the two of them with a look that was part fright and part something else entirely.

For just a split-second, Yuya had paused her forward movement, feeling as if she were intruding across some sort of invisible line and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled as the red eyes gazing back at her narrowed. It was a sensation that she had become accustomed to in her years as a bounty huntress, a sense of danger that whispered to her of an impending attack and, within the span of a blink, something dark and silent had coiled in the back of her mind, sending chills down her spine. Whatever it was, it was waiting for her to make the wrong move and she stared at Aiko, wondering if it was her child doing it and if she would lose her again just when she'd found her.

A hint of her sorrow must have shown on her face or echoed in her head because her daughter's eyes softened just a bit and the darkness retreated slightly.

However, it wasn't until Shinrei's arms tightened slightly around her and he bent his head down to murmur softly, "It's alright, Aiko. She's your Kaa-Chan. You've told me all about her," that the feeling of danger went away completely.

Yuya found that she had mixed feelings about the fact that a man - who was more stranger than anything else to her - seemed to have greater control over her daughter's behavior than her own mother. Looking at the two of them, she could understand why Kyo had reacted the way he had even though she had already reasoned him out of his first impulse to kill the other man.

Her assessment hadn't been wrong. Shinrei wasn't at his peak and she could tell that he was horribly uncomfortable with the idea of providing comfort with his hesitant hands and stiff posture. However, to her husband and - if she were honest - most people, all they would see was a strikingly handsome man holding onto a beautiful woman whose body-language indicated that she trusted him implicitly. As she continued her approach, she had briefly turned her gaze to Shinrei - who kept his eyes trained on Aiko as if he were afraid she would do something drastic if he took his attention off of her – and decided that she needed to take time out to learn more about this man who was so important to both of her children.

Naturally, with his usual exquisitely bad timing, Akari had taken that moment to lean close to her and whisper loudly, "You know. Even though we know the truth of the matter, they really do look like a fairytale couple."

The shaman couldn't help himself. Yuya knew it was because he was a romantic at heart and equated everything in terms of his own personal fantasy. She also understand that he meant no harm in the comment but she still grit her teeth and hissed back, "For the love of every Kami in heaven, don't say that in earshot of Kyo or he really _will_ kill Shinrei."

At the moment, Kyo was allowing her to take the lead for their daughter's sake, but she could feel his eyes boring into her back, waiting for the slightest hint that Shinrei presented a danger to her. She really didn't feel like starting over again if he saw or heard anything that gave him the excuse he needed to work out his agitation.

Her poor husband was fighting his own over-tuned paternal instincts in order to give her space to work. She didn't want to squander the window of opportunity to look her daughter over and question her self-appointed guardian without Kyo's rude, obnoxious, and antagonistic interference. As much as she loved the man, he didn't have an ounce of tact and she sensed that a gentler hand was needed if she wanted the silver-haired man to open up.

Unfortunately, Akari didn't immediately take the hint and a frown marred his features at the censure in her tone before he huffed slightly and replied with frustrating obtuseness, "But it's true."

"True or not. I'm her mother and I'd rather not have that image in my head. Please drop it, before I'm tempted to reenact the little scene we had back in the baths when I finally saw what you were hiding beneath your robes."

Akari blanched at the threat and did what any guy would do - which was to press a hand in reflex to the previously injured body part - but he stopped part-way there. Apparently remembering that cupping one's genitals was not exactly ladylike, he curled the hand into a fist which he diverted and pressed against his mouth so that he could clear his throat delicately.

They both turned their attention back to Shinrei, who looked from one to the other with a slight blush to his cheeks and eyes that clearly broadcasted his discomfort. He had probably heard every word they said, including the shaman's comment about Aiko and him looking like a "fairtytale couple".

It was after that incident that, inwardly groaning in embarrassment, the pair had finally reached her daughter and the man guarding her. That brought them to their present circumstance where Yuya was stroking Aiko's head comfortingly while Akari hovered in the background – waiting his turn so that he could assess her health.

"Can you tell me what happened to her, Shinrei-San?" Yuya asked, opting to start the discussion off with a respectful tone as she reluctantly pulled her fingers away from her child's lovely red-kissed locks and stepped aside so that Akari could take her place.

The shaman clasped Aiko's hand and attempted to coax her away from Shinrei's lap so that he could seat her on the steps directly. He needed to have room to work and Yuya needed space so that she could question the silver-haired man directly.

Her daughter resisted at first but acquiesced when Shinrei told her that it was alright. She went along with Akari and sat primly, staring at the shaman with piercing, slightly mistrustful eyes that skittered towards her protector from time to time as if he would disappear if she weren't careful.

"There isn't much to tell," the water-user replied carefully once the girl was settled, "Hishigi came for her and defeated me," this was said with a hint of bitterness.

"And he got his hands on her after leaving me for dead. When I woke up, I was no longer bleeding to death and a note was waiting for me from Sakuya-San, telling me that your daughter was in Hishigi's labs. I went there, found her like this and learned from the assistants that he had used something called Crime Monster on her to amplify her natural abilities and age her artificially. Then I took her and we wound up waiting here."

Yuya could tell that she was getting the severely abridged version of what had happened but, two things stuck out for her. First, was that he clearly had no idea that Aiko had voluntarily returned to Hishigi in order to give her brother the time needed to save him. Second, that didn't explain why her daughter was wearing Shinrei's tunic. What exactly had happened to her in that horrible lab?

The first thought did not trouble her in the slightest, it was the primary reason why she was giving Shinrei a second chance along with his defense of her offspring. The second one however...conjured up images that no parent ever wanted to contemplate about their children.

Still, Yuya was no coward and she tackled the harder question first, shifting her gaze slightly towards Aiko before saying quietly, "She is wearing your clothes. According to Akari, Hishigi does all sorts of experiments and some of them are of...a sexual nature."

She flushed just thinking about what might have happened and asked, "Did they...hurt her?"

She couldn't bring herself to utter the word she was really thinking of but Shinrei caught on anyways and his jaw tightened as he replied, "While there was a momentary threat of _that_ and the gown Hishigi dressed her in offered little in the way of protection, nothing happened."

"A momentary threat? What did they...," she began to probe for more details but he cut her off.

"It was handled," he said it softly but his tone was cold, dangerous, a striking contrast to the fury that rose immediately in his golden gaze. Yuya flinched before realizing that he wasn't angry at her questions but, rather, at the memory of whatever had almost happened.

He didn't need to elaborate and tell her that blood had been shed, it was there in the taut lines of his face and the tiny sideways glance he sent towards Aiko, who was innocently flicking the golden rings on Akari's shakujo. A tiny, fascinated grin touched her daughter's lovely face as she listened to the way the rings resonated against each other, filling the air with a pleasant chime that kept her distracted while the shaman ran a glowing hand over her and concentrated on repairing whatever damage had been done.

The look in his eyes was hard to read but she was reminded of one of the guardian statues that adorned the steps of a shrine. Quiet, poised, and ready to come to life at the slightest hint of danger - his entire posture spoke of alertness and of a person who would live and die to protect what he felt was important. It warmed her immensely and she softened even more towards him.

She should have been appalled that her daughter might have witnessed yet another act of violence but she could not bring herself to regret it. Nor could she find it in her heart to get angry at a man who obviously cared enough about her child to fight on her behalf and had done his best to preserve the innocence that was on display. Good-looking, strong, and dedicated - that last word fit him to the letter - she could see why Saisei had loved him enough to die for his sake.

"I'm not sure if I should respect or fear your loyalty, Shinrei-San. But I thank you anyways," she said and he stared at her as if he were genuinely surprised that she would voice her gratitude, considering their past together.

"Anyone could have done it," he muttered gruffly.

 _'Could? Maybe. Would? Not likely. They would have probably looked the other way,'_ the thought lingered in the air but she didn't voice it because it would only embarrass him further.

So instead, she decided to impart another piece of knowledge and said, "I can see why she went back for you. You really _are_ a kind person."

He looked even more flustered for a moment before his gaze sharpened and he asked, "What do you mean she came back?"

"I mean exactly what I said. She went back to Hishigi to buy Ryu time to find help for you. According to him, she was devastated at the thought of you dying."

Shinrei could not have looked at her any more strangely than if she had sprouted a second head and started speaking another language. It was if someone had run him through and he was trying to decide if he was supposed to curl up and die or confront his attacker. He settled, sort-of, on the latter and stared at Aiko who looked back and graced him with a beatific smile that lit her eyes and made her face look ethereal, as if the very sight of him made her happy.

It was an entrancing sight and the silver-haired man turned away from it immediately, obviously unsure of how to handle such naked adulation, as he said in a harsh tone, "No one asked her to do that. I specifically remember instructing her to flee."

Unfortunately, his voice was not quite as steady as he thought it was and she noted the way his throat worked up and down afterwards, as if he were swallowing his emotions. For just a moment, Yuya caught a glimpse of the man he was inside and she found it intriguing. Beyond the cold facade he was trying to maintain, she saw someone who was so used to "doing" for other people that he couldn't wrap his head around the idea of _anyone_ "doing" for him.

Still, she decided to let the matter rest and give him the time he needed to process the sacrifice her little girl had made in his behalf.

"Will you let Akari heal you, once he's done with Aiko? I promise he won't hurt you and you look like you need a little help."

The shaman sucked his teeth loudly, drawing their attention to him as he chided, "Don't just offer my services Yuya, you know I have my price."

"Of course, of course," she replied with a grin, her hands up in a placating gesture.

"And don't refer to me as "he", I was all set to play a joke and now you've ruined it," he actually pouted and Yuya laughed.

"I'm sorry I can't read your mind, Akari-San," she said, opting for an extra level of respect, "But in my defense, I don't think Shinrei-San is in any condition to go along with any of your pranks. However, because we're such _good_ friends and you've already helped me out so much, how about I owe you a favor for spoiling your fun?"

A shrewd look entered those violet eyes and she had a feeling that she had just let the fox into the henhouse when he nodded slowly, a disturbingly sweet smile touching his shapely lips as he replied, "Well, isn't that just lovely of you. I'll make sure to collect on that...in due time."

There was an awkward moment of silence during which Yuya prayed that he wouldn't ask anything too crazy of her before he turned his attention back to Aiko.

"Anyways, I'm almost done," he said briskly, "There's a little bit of damage that's been done to her internal systems from prolonged exposure to whatever Hishigi pumped into her. But it's nothing I and her own naturally enhanced healing abilities can't fix. Now...stand back and be amazed at the miracles that the great Akari-Sama can produce."

So saying, he lifted his shakujo with a flourish and pressed his free hand to Aiko's chest before exclaiming gleefully, "Reject!"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyo had to fight not to pace. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to rush over and pull both Yuya and Aiko away from Shinrei. It wasn't a logical desire, there was too much violence accompanying it, but it was there, prowling around him. He kept reminding himself to trust his wife, to trust her ability to tame men like him who lived by the sword.

At some point, Ryu came to stand next to him, offering the only form of comfort he would accept and it eased him, if marginally. His boy was like him, selective about who and how he made physical contact with other people. The child's instincts were on point about when touching was needed and, right then, he knew that his father was disinclined to tolerate any hands on him that did not belong to his wife.

Like a prayer, he kept repeating "trust her" over and over again in his head. And he was focusing so hard on the words that he almost missed the little voice that asked in a loud, wondering tone, "Kaa-Chan?"

He froze.

Young, definitely feminine, and inquisitive. His daughter. His Aiko.

Kyo took in a deep breath, then another and moved his eyes over the group, searching for his little girl and staring openly once he saw her, half-hidden by the adults crowded around her small form. Her head was tilted upwards as she listened to whatever Yuya was saying and he saw a grin cross her tiny lips. They were perfect lips. Pink and curved into a smile, the way they ought to be.

With barely contained impatience, he waited for her to notice him. Her eyes turned towards Shinrei and he couldn't help the vague sense of hurt that crept up as she stared down at herself - dressed in a blue tunic that was practically swallowing her now that her body was back to normal – before smiling back up at the other man and grabbing onto his gloved hand eagerly.

Her mouth moved rapidly and then her mother was bending down, stroking her hair before engulfing her in a hug which Aiko eagerly returned while Akari looked down at the two of them fondly and Shinrei crossed his arms and looked uncomfortable at the display of emotion.

It should have been a beautiful sight and, in truth, he was beyond relieved that his daughter seemed to be in good health and that she was back to normal. In his head, the picture they presented was wonderful, the quintessential image of a joyous reunion between parent and child...except...he wasn't in it. The warmth was there. The joy was there. But he was separate, an outsider.

Aiko hadn't even looked at him yet. The only impression he had thus far received from his child was of a frightened woman with mistrust in her eyes for her own father. It wasn't a heartening way to start a relationship and he wondered if he would even be welcome. If this child version of his daughter, who so eagerly embraced his wife and looked so happy to see a man he was hating more by the minute, would give him even a crumb of her heart.

As if she could read his mind, those red eyes lifted and gazed at him from over her mother's shoulder, widening as she took him in, and he wondered what she saw. Did she still fear him?

She started to struggle in Yuya's arms, whispering something frantically in her ear until the woman let her go so that she could step around her form to stare at her father openly. Narrow red eyes that were his gift to her assessed him for a long moment while her expression moved from shock, to wonderment, and then to excitement before she finally broke out in a wide grin that threatened to crack her face in half and displayed the tiny fangs that she'd also inherited from him.

Her chest expanded as she took in a deep breath and let it out in loud squeal of pure, unadulterated happiness as she yelled, "TOU-CHAN!"

Kyo wanted to pause that moment and save it forever.

It should have been embarrassing for someone as powerful and terrifying as the Thousand Killer to have a little girl bellowing his title out for the world to hear. Even more so when she had added such a cute suffix to the end of it. The rest of his companions were staring at the two of them in shock with the exception of Yuya, who had a knowing smile on her lips.

Really, there were all sorts of things that should have been and all sorts of emotions that he should have felt. And yet, all he could think was that he was more than happy to overwrite the memory of the beautiful woman cowering in Shinrei's arms with the image of a little girl with his eyes and Yuya's illuminating smile - staring at him as if they were the only two people in the world.

This...this was their first meeting. Not that other more depressing moment where he – a man who had killed more people than most humans saw in a lifetime - was dangerously close to heartbreak at the thought that his daughter might reject him.

With the same enthusiasm that had accompanied her loud proclamation of his name, she practically galloped towards him with so much speed that he wondered if she would be able to stop herself in time before she crashed into him. It was a clear contrast to the way Ryu had approached him – his hedging steps versus her headlong rush to meet him even though she was half tripping over the long tunic covering her. He was amused when she hit the brakes within feet of him, nearly pitching headfirst before catching herself. She then proceeded to circle him a few times, awe written all over her face by the time she stopped in front of him.

He raised a brow at her and she seemed to find even that small gesture incredible because she stared at him intently, waiting eagerly for his next move. For sure, she was her mother's child. Every single one of her emotions were nakedly displayed across her young face and yet, through the gamut of feelings that came and went, she boldly maintained eye contact. He had a feeling that cowardice wasn't in her vocabulary and he felt pride in his heart and a tug at the corner of his mouth.

She was so beautiful. Yet another perfect blend between himself and Yuya and he could see why his wife had bestowed a name as sentimental as Aiko on her. There was love there. So much that it overflowed from her and he could feel it lapping at his mind, asking to be let in so that she could fill him up with it too.

It was an odd feeling, to have someone else's emotions entwining so deeply with his own but he didn't mind and, if possible, she smiled even more before saying directly, "Kaa-Chan hugged me."

There wasn't a hint of a request in her words. She wasn't asking for him to touch her so much as she was demanding her due – a child who knew what she wanted, when she wanted it, and was cheerfully content to take advantage of his good mood.

He smirked and decided to half-comply. Bending down, he didn't pull her into a hug. Rather, he put a hand on the top of her head and stroked her head softly as he replied, "I'm not your mother."

Aiko's eyes widened for a second - a natural reaction when a child who was used to getting what she wanted didn't quite receive the response she expected - before she narrowed them in thought.

"No," she said after a moment. 

He nodded as he made to rise and had just enough time to see her lips take on a slightly mischievous bend before she clamped both of her arms over his and rose with him, giggling happily the moment her feet left the ground.

Kyo didn't pause in his ascent, merely stood to his full height and then raised the arm saddled with a dangling three-and-a-half year old until she was at eye level with him with her oversized clothing trailing below her. With his level of strength, she might as well have weighed nothing, so he wasn't bothered by her attachment, but he raised a brow at her yet again and she mimicked him right back before grinning and laughing.

"You aren't Kaa-Chan," she replied and he was amused by her interpretation of his earlier statement. Her mother could hardly lift her with one arm but her father could, easily, and she knew it.

 _'Clever girl,'_ he thought with another surge of pride.

Just out of curiosity, he shook his arm, wondering what she would do, and she laughed again, swinging her legs back and forth like she was holding onto a tree branch instead of her father's arm and begging him, "Again, Tou-Chan!"

Having never had a child use him for her own personal playground before, he was fascinated by her absolute trust that he wouldn't drop her on her head and completely oblivious to the fact that they were putting on a show. Instead, he marveled at his little girl. And when she swung her spindly legs up so that she could sling them around what was left of his arm - hanging monkey-style with all of her limbs wrapped around his one - he didn't chide her.

Not even when she asked, upside-down, "Can I hug you, Tou-Chan…please?"

It was a shameless ploy to get what she wanted out of him by changing the wording of her earlier demand and making it seem as if she were the one giving the embrace instead of him but it charmed him nonetheless, _she_ charmed him. There was something about the way her eyes gleamed that called to him, a simple unspoken statement that he was her father and that no one else was like him as far as she was concerned.

His heart was pounding as he allowed Tenrou to slide from his grasp and reached out with his newly freed arm in acceptance of her "offer". She uncurled herself so that she could grasp the proffered limb and accepted his help to bring her in close to his body, snuggling deeply into the crook of his arm as the blue garment she was wearing bunched beneath her legs. She summarily wove both of her arms around his neck and pressed her nose to it so that she could take in his scent.

Perhaps it was because she was a girl but he couldn't help but note how small she was in comparison to him, something he hadn't given nearly as much thought to when faced with her twin. He felt a brief twinge of worry that he would break her because he was so much bigger and vastly stronger. The same hands that touched her were also capable of wielding his wicked sword to devastating effect and he wondered if it was unfair of him to fuss over his little girl more than his boy.

Ryu was his son but Aiko...Aiko was his daughter and the preciousness of his cargo had him bringing his head down so that he could feel the silk of her hair against the tip of his nose. Breathing deeply, he took in her personal smell, drawing it out from within its hiding place beneath the chemical remnants of Hishigi's lab and Shinrei's scent.

He wrinkled his nose, deciding then and there that the first order of business, when they were done, was to bathe her to get rid of the other smells imprinted on her skin. After that he would keep her far away from anything that even remotely resembled a male because he wasn't sure he could be held responsible for whatever happened. Was it insane? Probably. Was he being over-protective? Not as far as he was concerned. And so, he just stood there, basking in the fact that he had a daughter who was pretty, and intelligent, and brave, and pleasant, and his.

The only reason he pulled away, after what felt like an eternity of clutching the girl to him, was so that he could urge her to look at him again with those eyes of hers as he asked quietly, "You're alright?"

He probably should have inquired about her health earlier but touching her, making sure she was real and taking her measure as a person had taken precedence.

Her smile faded a little as she nodded and said, "Yes. I had a bad dream but...," her face screwed up a little, "I can't remember what it was about. Hishigi was there and he was mean. And it hurt but I think I went to sleep after a while. Am I supposed to go to sleep in a dream, Tou-Chan?"

He was going to kill Hishigi, then find a way to resurrect him, and kill him again.

Kyo suspected that she had been more awake than she realized during her ordeal but he neither confirmed nor denied anything, simply replied, "Anything is possible."

Aiko took his words at face value and her wobbly smile righted its course once more. She removed one of her arms from around his neck so that she could stroke a tiny hand over the side of his face and touch his dark hair.

"You are just like Kaa-Chan said you would be," she said wonderingly.

Curious as to what Yuya had said about him, he asked, "And how did your mother describe me?"

She gave him a thoughtful look before saying, "She said you were really tall. And that you had long black hair. And you are really strong but kind of mean sometimes. But I don't think you are mean," she had such a look of disbelief that he decided that there was no need to disabuse her of the notion at that point in time.

He knew full well that he was an arrogant, blood-thirsty, bastard. _But,_ he was an arrogant, blood-thirsty, bastard who was not stupid and would take whatever leg up he could get in his daughter's esteem of him.

Kyo nodded along with her description and nearly choked as she continued, "And she also said that you were really, really pretty. I mean...," she glanced at Shinrei thoughtfully and said, "handsome. Boys and men are supposed to be handsome, right?"

"Yeah," Kyo agreed but his eyes were trained on Yuya, who had drawn near so that she could hold Ryu's hand and was blushing profusely.

"I'll just bet she thinks I'm handsome. So much that I make her scream sometimes."

His voice was purposefully bland but she knew him well enough to know when he was flirting and she started to get visibly flustered as she said, "Don't be such a perv, especially around Aiko. She'll pick up on it."

"Can she now?" he drawled, bringing his attention back to Aiko who was staring at his face with a look of interest.

"And what does my daughter see on my face?" he asked casually, recalling Yuya's statement that she sometimes saw emotions as masks.

"A pink mask. It has fangs and a long tongue. It looks like its licking its lips. I think it's supposed to be hungry. Are you hungry, Tou-Chan?" she asked with a touch of confusion, as if she weren't quite sure what to make of her interpretation.

She wasn't exactly wrong. Lust _was_ a type of hunger and he certainly enjoyed the thought of devouring Yuya. In fact, it was never very far from his mind and, like any good meal, all of his senses - taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight - were fully engaged whenever he had her all to himself. At that very moment, she was flushing even more beneath his regard and he allowed his eyes to wander down her form, blatantly undressing her in his mind and enjoying the way he made her squirm.

Her green gaze darted away from his as she tried to do a bit of damage control and said to Aiko, "It's an emotion that you won't know about until you're much older, Ai-Chan."

It was Kyo's turn to scowl and he muttered beneath his breath, "Not if I can help it."

"Hmm?" Aiko raised questioning eyes towards him since she hadn't quite caught his words.

He didn't repeat the comment, merely replied, "Just reminding myself to explain the truth about men to you someday. Maybe I should start by telling you about the poisonous snake all boys have hidden beneath their clothes?"

His wife made a gagging sound and stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. His daughter, on the other hand, looked fascinated by the thought of learning about a new animal and her gaze wandered to Ryu, doubtless wondering if he had a snake as well.

Yuya interrupted his explanation by saying in an annoyed tone, "Don't you have a battle with Yukimura to get to?"

Kyo grinned wolfishly at her and said, "But I thought you hated the idea of me getting hurt, woman."

"It's either him or me who hurts you," she replied, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a hard look.

He sighed and bent down to set Aiko on her feet before patting her on the head again and saying sagely, "When I get back, I'll tell you more about the snake and how it puffs itself up and gets even more dangerous whenever a pretty girl is around."

"Don't make me kill you, Kyo," Yuya managed to choke out while her face flamed ever brighter.

Aiko looked even more interested in finding out what sort of snake could possibly be so strange and deadly and Ryu looked vaguely chagrined, probably catching on to what his father really meant.

Deciding to continue the conversation later for fear that his wife would combust on the spot, he grabbed up Tenrou and slung it over his shoulder before smirking and saying, "Promises, promises. But why not, I'll let you "kill" me. It's not as if you haven't done it before."

She would know exactly what he meant. His idea of "death" involved long nights, clinging mouths, sticky skin, and long moans - usually on her part. And just to make sure that his wife was completely clear as to what he was referring to, he continued, "And I won't put up a fight as long as you're naked when you do it."

Yuya let out a long groan of frustration that escalated into a cry of fury when Aiko tugged on her kimono and asked innocently, "Since Tou-Chan is a boy, does that mean he has a snake too? Is it scary?"

Kyo chuckled and made his escape, leaving Yuya to clean up his mess and explain to his daughter that her "idiot father" was making a stupid joke as he headed towards Yukimura, who looked vastly amused by the whole scene. As he unsheathed his sword and readied himself for battle, he decided that the assessment of himself that he had made after meeting Ryu for the first time was correct.

He liked being a father. It was fun.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Serious in the beginning but light towards the end. I'm happy the family is back together again and I love writing Kyo together with Aiko. Sorry if he seems a little OOC but I know that many fathers – at least the good ones – adore their daughters and would do most anything for them. More coming up and maybe a smidge more romance between our favorite couple. Time is getting tight, privacy is nonexistent, and unavoidable separations are due to come around.

As always, thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	43. Sad Blessings and Painful Desires

**Thanks to: Rinfantasy** (I am so considering having Aiko ask Shinrei about the "snake" just because I can imagine what his face would look like. Poor Shinrei, I like torturing him because he's so uptight. ^_^), **DebyMU** (Lol, Aiko eventually got her hug. It's not like Kyo is going to be any good at telling her "no". Still, I think he's going to be a good father and I can't wait to see if I can slip a little more romance in.), **Azure** (So glad you found Kyo's reaction to his daughter sweet and you are right, Kyo is going to do his best to keep her away from boys. As for your questions about fathers, the good ones are protective towards their daughters and rightfully so because, while there are some good guys out there, there are also a lot of bad ones too. Many dads remember what it was like when they were young and seek to steer their little girls away from situations where they feel they'll get hurt.), **general zargon** (Yup, Kyo is a master troll but it's only because he loves his little girl. I had a lot of fun writing the last chapter and I'm glad you enjoyed it.), **Animallover** (So happy you enjoyed the last chapter. I've been waiting to reunite the family for so long and I loved, loved, LOVED writing Kyo's interaction with Aiko because the bond between a father and daughter is very near and dear to my heart. My own dad was really protective of my sisters and I when we were younger and it went a long way towards helping us choose good marriage mates when we grew up because he helped us to tell the good men from the bad ones.=) Akari is still fun to write even though he needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut sometimes and I look forward to putting him, Shinrei, and Hotaru together at the same time just because the conversation is bound to be hilarious. The parts in the manga where Kyo gives Yuya "The Look" are my absolute faves. It's so obvious that he loves her and I just fangirl when I see it.), **Yira** (Happy you enjoyed the chapter. Kyoshiro isn't going to steal Yuya away during Kyo's fight with Yukimura. It's going to go similarly to how it happened in the manga but there will be a few changes. No point in messing with a good thing. As far as miko powers being dependent on chastity, I actually don't think Kamijo-Sensei held to that rule in the SDK universe. She treats shamanic abilities as something you are born with – more like X-Men super powers – and then they are trained to be a miko to strengthen their natural abilities, such as Sakuya, or as an Onmyouji or Priest(ess) such as in Nozomu and Akari's case. Plus, years later in the manga, when Kyoshiro met up with Yuya right before Kyo came back, he wanted to tell her that Sakuya had foreseen the outcome of Kyo's return and I doubt she was still a virgin at that point.), **magicalnana** (Glad you enjoyed the way Kyo and Aiko got along. Hope it made up for the lack of humor in the previous chapter), **kyoandyuya** (Kyo can't help himself. No one is getting near his little girl if he can help it. ;-P Now, I'm so tempted to do a four way conversation where Aiko asks Shinrei if he has a "snake" too and follow it up with commentary from both Hotaru and Akari because they'd both troll Shinrei horribly. XD), **lmamc** (I couldn't leave Aiko stuck as an adult.=) And, yeah, Kyo is crazy but that's why we love him.), **Yume Fujimi** (Thank you so much for taking the time out to read my stories and doubly so for reading even though English isn't your first language. I love hearing from my readers and it's even more exciting when I hear from someone from another part of the world. =) Don't worry about how your comment sounds because your genuine enjoyment comes through loud and clear. I'm so happy you like the way I write the characters and their family and I agree that Kyo/Yuya is one of the best couples ever. I also agree with you that, whether Kyo said "Suki" or "Yuya" at the end of the manga, he was definitely telling her that he loved her. Thank you so much and I wish my Spanish wasn't so horrible so that I could tell you that properly. All I can really say is, muchas gracias! ^_^), **Dark elfy** (I'm always happy to meet someone else who enjoys SDK and I freely admit that Kyo/Yuya is one of my favorite pairings of all time. I'm having such a great time writing about them, their friends, and family that hearing that you actually enjoy this fic, even though you've been away from the fandom for so long, only makes me even happier. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story and you are correct in that it will be a trilogy. However, I won't leave you hanging like I did at the end of Midori No Me so no worries about a sad/cliffhanger ending. The sequel is more to cover Kyo and Yuya's life post the final battle, their children as adults and a few other romances that I won't have time to flesh out in this fic such as Akira/Tokito and maybe Hotaru and someone else. Can't say more without major spoilers for the end. ^_^)

 **Author's Note:** I'll be honest, the fight between Kyo and Yukimura is one of the least important ones in the manga to me so it's going to be a bit short. I know he really wanted to fight Kyo and, since I have to advance the story, it's in here but it's a bit harder to stretch it out since he only has like one major technique and Kyo is stronger here. Plus, I really want to move this story along. Anywho, hope I don't disappoint anyone. -_-; I also apologize because it's late and this chapter hasn't been beta'ed.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Thirty-Nine**

 **Sad Blessings and Painful Desires**

 _Do what you have to do, Kyoshiro. You and I both know it is the only way. However, rest assured that all will be well if you hold firm and remember that only you can push Kyo to fulfill his destiny. Whatever the king asks you to do or give up, do it. For both our sakes and for that of the people we care about._

 _With Love,_

 _Sakuya_

His hands shook a bit as he stared at the words, reading them over and over again before closing his eyes, fighting a sudden rush of emotion that left him feeling lightheaded. Even though the message was vitally important, what made his throat constrict with emotion was who it was from. After four years apart, Sakuya had reached out to him and she still loved him.

When Yukimura had surreptitiously pressed the letter into his hand while Kyo got acquainted with his charming daughter, he had been afraid that it would be bad news or that Sakuya would tell him farewell yet again as she had years prior when he had to take Yuya away from the Mibu lands. Instead, he had confirmation that her feelings for him were still alive and, with it, the reassurance that he wasn't insane. That the mantle of "traitor" that he was going to have to shortly don yet again was going to accomplish what he wanted it to.

It was the blessing he needed to go through with his course. The guarantee that he could put on the greatest show of his life. Perhaps he would die at the end of it but, he glanced at Yuya who was talking to his beloved niece, it was worth it if he could make things right and gift his friends and family with a life that was free of the former Crimson King's shadow. A world where Kyo's daughter wasn't experimented on in Kami-knew-what ways. And where his friend's son did not have shadows that lurked behind that young gaze, a sure sign that the process of stripping away his childhood had already begun, albeit not in earnest yet otherwise he would be even more like Kyo.

He create a new time period where his friends could live in peace and all it would require was pretending to be the man he used to be. More accurately, someone that he had never been. He wasn't like Kyo. He didn't enjoy endless fighting and killing although that was what the majority of his life had been. From his creation on, he had simply done as the king ordered because that was his function, his reason for being, but he had never been able to shake the coldness of emotion that came with it. No matter how much blood he shed, he could never cross the line where it stopped being a duty and became a pleasure.

The things he told himself to rationalize the evil deeds he performed in the name of his king had all been placed in his mouth by that self-same ruler and it wasn't until he killed the man who had come before him, someone who was technically his older brother, that he had begun to feel. He could still see it, a moment that was engraved on his heart.

Red hair and red eyes that would never open again. Blood spreading beneath the body and dripping from his sword, providing gentle but gruesome background music to the scene. And then a piercing scream and brown eyes that filled with tears and stared at him in accusation.

In his mind, he had tried to reassure himself that what he had done was right and just but Sakuya's words kept ringing in his ears.

"Murderer! Kyoshiro, you are a murderer!"

No one had ever called him that directly and he had never seen someone else's face twisted in agony from the loss of a loved one. For the first time, it had dawned on him that to kill was to take away someone's precious person, even if he never saw the face of the individual left behind. And no matter how desperately he tried to call to mind the king's words - the fantasies his master had spun around him to sanctify his role as an assassin - all he could hear were the brokenhearted sobs of one woman.

Thinking about it, Sakuya should have hated him by now. He kept taking away the people who were important to her - Mibu Kyosaburo and Shiina Nozomu, two men who were better than him, more useful. One had created a sword style that was strong enough to kill a "god" because he knew what the Former Crimson King had become and the other had raised both his own flesh and blood sister and the adopted one who was the key to unlocking Kyo's full potential.

At the end of it, there were two women he loved, each in their own unique way and he silently promised himself that he would give them his all. He had caused both of them enough pain.

As the sounds of steel against steel rang out from the battle between Kyo and Yukimura, he turned his mind inward and plotted how he would carry out his "betrayal."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyo had to give it to Yukimura, he was good...very good. His speed was there, his power was real, and his drive was evident in every move he made. When he started the duel, his mind was going between fighting hard in order to relieve some of his pent up frustration from having so many battles being fought in front of him without participating and getting it over with quickly, so that they could progress.

However, the longer he fought the more he had to admit that Yukimura was better than he'd thought and the more he grabbed both his interest and attention. The other man was slippery. Fast enough to force him to block his attacks but skilled enough to use his speed to evade.

Kyo found himself drawing on more and more of his power as his bloodlust rose and his inner demon was delighted when Yukimura closed one eye and his ki spiked right before he swung Tenrou in a wide arc that should have cut him in half.

He heard the other man call out his attack, "Sekireigan", and out of his peripheral vision he saw multiple copies of his opponent coming at him in an omnidirectional attack while the version of Yukimura that he had bisected started to fade.

The Thousand Killer smirked and evaded each of the copies as they tried to impale him, dancing nimbly out of their midst and gathering his ki so that he could unleash a Mizuchi that cut through the duplicates and forced the real Yukimura to block.

Like a beacon that called to him, the other man's killing intent rose and he asked with a playful tone, "Why aren't you using any of your big attacks on me Kyo? I heard your Suzaku is quite stunning to behold and I'd love to see what one of the heirs to the Crimson Throne can accomplish."

Kyo frowned, wondering how Yukimura had possibly stumbled onto that bit of information. It was something even he was barely knowledgeable about, a vague implication that he'd gleaned from another time and another place.

For a moment, he was a child again. Perched in the grass at the feet of a tall figure whose presence had always seemed to swallow up everything around him. The two of them spent a great deal of time together alone, often separated from the Taishirou although the king's Elders rarely ventured far, ever diligent in their role as protectors to the king. Even as a boy, he had felt as if the two of them were a completely separate breed from everyone else - the larger-than-life man who called himself "God" and he, the cast off child of demons with no past, no family, and only the knowledge of how to survive in Aokigahara to guide him.

 _'I want you to make me a promise Kyo...'_

Yukimura's sword almost connected with his throat and he dodged it, gritting his teeth because he hadn't thought of his "promise" in years and was annoyed that he was allowing his memories to distract him. However, the near miss gave him the focus he needed and he picked up his pace, the shadows of unwanted memories and reluctant promises lending him strength and clarity. Within seconds, he had the other man on the defensive and kept him there.

Kyo did not hate Yukimura - he was enjoying the battle a great deal, in fact – but his opponent was in his way. As clever, sly, and manipulative as the youngest member of the Sanada clan was, it was a mistake for him to bring up what he _thought_ he knew about the Thousand Killer's role in the Mibu clan.

Of course he was going to fight the king eventually, that had already been determined a long time ago and solidified even further the moment the clan came sniffing around his family but there was more to it, at least twenty-six years worth of pain and unanswered questions that he'd saved up. Paired with a constant struggle against his natural desires to dominate and destroy, he didn't have the patience to go along with Yukimura's machinations, whatever they were.

Hence, he decided to bring the battle to its conclusion quickly and _then_ ask Yukimura what in the world his goal was since he didn't believe for one second that he had joined the clan just to get stronger and babysit one of the five gates.

As he waited for his chance he gathered his ki and sent it lancing through Tenrou, making the blade hum in pleasure from the power. Being relegated to a bystander had made it antsy as well and Kyo smirked, knowing that this was going to be good - both of them needed to stretch their legs a bit.

With the use of so much ki came the usual heightening of his senses and the increased desire to shed his blood. He reveled in the former while doing his best to subdue the latter because he wanted to defeat Yukimura, not kill him.

Like a distant call to battle, he heard the snarl that signaled the readiness of his prowling god of wind and air to go forth and subdue his enemy beneath its paw. At first, he was going to show Yukimura his Suzaku since he was obviously curious but the other man was too evasive. While he knew that Suzaku would only keep returning to finish the job, he wanted to insure that the other warrior understood that he had no intention of assuming whatever role he'd picked out for him and that there was a gap between them that would not be closed so easily.

For a split second, just one, he closed his eyes and savored the pure energy that was coursing through him. It wasn't a particularly wise thing to do, but then, it was only half out of enjoyment and the other half was to set a trap. He didn't _need_ to see Yukimura to know that he was going to use that opening to attack. He didn't even need to hear him call out his technique to know what his next move would be.

However, his web had been spun and he waited in the center of it until the cry of "Sekireigan" sounded forth and only then did he open his eyes and look at his opponent. His enemy was smiling, a look of pure, unadulterated joy etched across his face and Kyo knew that, contrary to his earlier assessment of the flirtatious man, the two of them were of a similar breed. They both thrived on battle, feeding on the heat, fury, and dark lust for bloodshed that were staining the air and he couldn't help but answer that joyous expression with one of his own.

Fangs bared in a wicked grin and sword held at the ready, he slid back smoothly the moment Yukimura's duplicates appeared and attempted to surround him, leaving the clones momentarily open and that was when he unleashed his attack.

"Mumyo Jinpuu Ryuu Ougi, Byatsuko!" the words left his lips far more easily this time than they had when he used the attack on Shinrei.

Back then, he had to rely on pure instinct to call forth a move that he'd never performed before. Now, he knew what his Byakko was capable of and the fingers of his left hand twitched, as if it were his own appendage instead of the massive claw that stretched out, tearing through the copies the other man had made of himself until only the real one remained.

Yukimura's eyes widened in surprised wonder as he attempted to sidestep the attack with his incredible speed and he avoided the brunt of it although the white tiger's claw caught him in the shoulder. Like the excellent warrior that he was, he immediately caught his balance and readied his attack once more but his body froze and Kyo let out a wicked chuckle as Byakko's claw, the one his opponent thought he had dodged, locked him in place.

His attack had excellent range and trying to avoid it at close quarters was an exercise in futility. As the other man's body was drawn towards him, he raised his sword and swung it once, accurately and confidently, as he performed the finale of the attack - the snapping of his white tiger god's fangs across the form of the man who stepped up to challenge him.

Like him, Yukimura was a demon. But the evil Kyo carried within him and embraced was far greater and all-consuming to the point that, when he drew his sword, all that was left was the battle and the sound of his heart beating in his ears. His enjoyment of his handiwork was black and fulfilling as blood sprayed finely into the air and the other man collapsed, signaling the end of the battle.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shinrei was upset. If his idiot half-brother could have heard his thoughts, he would have shrugged and said that was because he was so uptight. Then he would have followed it up with an asinine comment about being stuffy and constipated or whatever weird comparison happened to flit into his mind at the time.

The proof of just how bothered he was apparent in the fact that he hadn't even been to muster interested in watching the battle – something that was completely unlike him. The reason for his distraction was because his mind was still going a mile a minute over the information Yuya had bequeathed to him about who he owed his life to. He didn't know if he should be ashamed that a child had to save him. Or should he be furious that Aiko had put herself in harm's way after he had fought so hard for her behalf? Perhaps bewilderment as to where she had obtained such foresight since most children her age tended to think only in terms of the here and now was the best response. And yet, at the very bottom of the chaotic funnel of emotions that swirled around in him was a curious sort happiness.

He could admit to himself, but only in private, that he had very few defenses against genuine, unselfish kindness. It was so rare in the Mibu clan. His father lacked it entirely. Fubuki only put on a pretend form of it when he wanted something. Taihaku had it but had to keep it in check because of his status as the head of the Goyosei and Saisei had had a form of it but could rarely display it because of her subjection to Saishi's ever-changing and malicious whims.

It was strange position he found himself in and it was made all the more confusing because whatever link Aiko had forged between her mind and his was still in effect, although not quite as overwhelming. He had to take an extra moment to sift through his emotions, determining which ones belonged to him and which ones were hers. It wasn't hard really, just strange because her presence was persistent, like there was a butterfly whose wings were constantly brushing the back of his brain.

Hazarding a glance over towards the source of his gentle torment, he saw her clinging to her mother with her face pressed into the bottom of her kimono and a posture that screamed discomfort. He knew full well that she didn't care for violence and no one, not even a child, could miss the oppressive feeling of Kyo's killing intent in the air. On instinct he took a step forward, urged on by the driving need to protect that made him who he was and it was only compounded by the echo of her fearful emotions in his head. But he controlled himself and remembered that she was with her parents now and did not need him anymore. Neither did Ryu for that matter.

It should have made him feel relieved to know that he was discharged from his duty and he told himself that the fulfillment of a promise was a good thing. But, as he looked from Aiko to her twin and back again, he felt a little...lonely. He hadn't realized how much he'd poured himself into caring for his two charges and now he felt like an empty vessel with only his own thoughts and the foreign emotions of a little girl to make up the remaining residue.

As if she knew his thoughts – and, in truth, she probably did to an extent via the emotional bond she'd formed with him back in the lab. Actually, it might have been even earlier when Hishigi was handing his behind to him.

He stared at her until that small red-blonde head moved ever so slightly and she fixed him with a single red eye.

Even though she was afraid, he could feel her worry and knew her well enough to know that it was probably on his behalf. Grimacing, he turned away and forced himself to watch the battle because it was safer than trying to wrap his head around the idea that he might now be stuck with someone in his mind who knew of and would respond to his every emotion.

In truth, Shinrei had never truly seen Kyo fight from the position of someone who wasn't going to confront him himself. The years they spent sparring didn't count since he had never stopped viewing the other man as an enemy with the potential to turn on the clan.

He thought it would be hard to concentrate on the fight, given how jumbled his thoughts were, but he was drawn in regardless, and he marveled at the skill on display in front of him. He'd known that Kyo was good - the Demon Child had to be to defeat _him -_ but Yukimura came as a surprise as well and he was too thorough a fighter to pass up to chance to analyze the movements of both men.

As the two traded blows, another emotion made itself present and, to his surprise, he realized that he really, truly wanted to fight Kyo again. There was such joy carved onto that wicked face with its flashing red eyes and gleaming fangs that he felt an answering desire in himself. His former enemy was so sure, so confident and the warrior that Shinrei had been born and bred to be wanted to meet that surety, that confidence and test himself against it. Even though he'd lost in their last battle, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't enjoyed it and, as he felt the answering echoes of bloodlust to the side of him, he realized that he wasn't the only person feeling that way.

Turning his head, he saw the same longing and fierce competitiveness on the faces of Kyo's companions. It only took him a moment to remember their names. Bontenmaru, whose face was wreathed in a hard grin of delight. Akira, who didn't smile but whose entire body radiated readiness and pinpoint concentration on the battle. Keikoku, who had a sulky expression on his face as if someone had snatched away his favorite toy and Shinrei knew that he wanted to fight Kyo desperately – the air around him was starting to grow hazy as his ki rose and heated it up.

That only left one person and as he was turning his head in the other direction to seek out the one called Akari, a husky voice said behind him, "That's the kind of effect Kyo has on us."

Staring at the beautiful man behind him – at least, Shinrei was pretty sure he was male – he noted that, beneath the carefully crafted calm façade he sported, there was tension as well.

A familiar spike in ki had him turning back to the battle once again, momentarily ignoring the last of Kyo's Shiseiten so that he could watch the man perform the very same finishing move that had taken him out. Since he was not on the receiving end of the attack this time, he could actually enjoy the sinuous beauty and grace of Kyo's Byakko as he used it to defeat Yukimura's clones, trapping the man himself in the process and drawing him in so that Kyo could finish him off.

A tiny cry of distress sounded out loud when Kyo's sword connected and echoed in his mind and his head snapped over to look at Aiko, who had her face pressed against her mother's leg once more. He observed her for a long moment, unconsciously searching her form for signs of hurt and Akari had to clear his throat loudly to get his attention once more.

Placing a hand on his hip, the shaman said in an annoyed voice, "I don't like being ignored."

Mentally, Shinrei wondered why he was supposed to care what the odd man liked or didn't like but verbally he said, "I apologize. My mind was elsewhere."

"Yeah. That's obvious. I was trying to give you a heads up about our little crew out of the _kindness_ of my heart."

For some reason, Shinrei didn't think kindness was the motivating factor so much as telling him not to try anything funny, or else. Just because Kyo's wife had accepted him, he didn't believe for one second that the Thousand Killer's other companions would be so easily swayed.

"Anyways, you've done your duty. Is there a particular reason you continue to have such a vested interest in Kyo's daughter?" though his tone was light, suspicion was laced through his words.

Shinrei's first instinct was to say that it was none of his business. However, he did want to get along with the people he was going to be travelling with so he replied honestly, "I don't have much control over it, she's in my head."

He thought he would have to elaborate but Akari only blinked and said, "Oh. Well that's understandable."

Curious as to why the he took it in stride, the water-user asked, "Do you know much about shamans?"

"Oh no, nothing much except everything and the fact that I'm one myself," the other man replied with a look of challenge in his eye, as if daring Shinrei to say something rude.

Unfortunately, he didn't know much about shamans except for the fact that they were all humans with extraordinary powers and that the Mibu had eliminated most of them because they were so dangerous. Tokito had spoken of Aiko with a mixture of disgust and annoyance, so he assumed that Akari expected him to behave the same.

"I was just wondering if there were a way to detach myself from her. It's distracting," he replied.

It was silly of course. If he disliked shamans, he would hardly have made the sacrifices he had for Aiko and some of his affront must have come through in his tone of voice because Akari's expression softened minutely.

"That's entirely up to her," he replied with a hint of amusement, "At her age, she can hardly be expected to have full control of her ability and I imagine that her connection to you was forged under duress. When an empath gets that deeply into your head, the only way to break the link is for her to let you go or upon her death."

Shinrei blanched at the second option and the shaman smirked, clearly reveling in his discomfort.

"I'm sure she'll figure it out...in a few years," he continued and there was no mistaking the laughter in his tone.

The prospect of being stuck for years with a child's emotions in his head while being read in return did not excite the silver-haired man as much as it seemed to delight the other man and he replied tensely, "That is not an option. I have to fight without interference."

"Oh you poor thing. Sometimes we just have no control over our lives and must make do with the hand we're dealt," Akari murmured unsympathetically. Shinrei briefly wondered what he had done to garner such focused dislike but his train of thought was derailed by the approach of his half-brother.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Is that what you meant when you said Tou-Chan could be mean?" Aiko asked in a hushed voice and Yuya sighed, wishing her daughter hadn't seen Kyo in full form so soon after meeting him. How exactly did one explain to a child that their father took pleasure in killing people and that he lived for the battle?

Here was where one child differed greatly from the other. Ryu watched his father fight with an intense, almost anticipatory air about him and Aiko hid her face away from the sight. One was clearly his father's child and the other was soft, emotional and not overly fond of violence. Her child. Except Yuya was an adult and her little girl had only recently emerged from the protective bubble her mother and grandfather kept her in.

Glancing over at Kyo, she noted that he had resheathed Tenrou and was speaking to Yukimura, who was half sitting up with a hand pressed against his chest where blood seeped through. Although he was most definitely in pain, the older man was grinning and responding to Kyo as if he hadn't very nearly killed him.

She saw it for what it was, a bizarre camaraderie that her powerful friends nurtured with the people whose strength they acknowledged. Kyo respected Yukimura in his own way, which was why the other man wasn't dead. How twisted had she become that she actually understood her husband's insane rituals of proof?

Mentally shrugging her misgivings away with a smile, she finally turned and replied to her daughter's question with, "Yes, this is definitely what I meant."

"He likes to fight," she said it almost accusatorily.

"Yes, he does. But he usually isn't the person who starts it. He just...makes sure he finishes it."

Aiko seemed to turn that over in her head for a few seconds before she whispered, "He's strong."

"The strongest," Yuya corrected with a nod.

"Does he protect Kaa-Chan, too? The way Shinrei-Sama protected me and Ryu-Chan?"

"Always," Yuya said firmly and Aiko turned that over as well, apparently trying to reconcile her aversion to bloodshed with her limited understanding that sometimes it had to occur for the sake of those one cared for.

"You're included in that group as well, kid," Kyo's voice interrupted and they both turned to see him standing a few feet away. His eyes were trained on Aiko who stared back at him with a contemplative look.

"I won't let anyone hurt you or your brother again," he said it in a soft, deadly tone. Yuya shivered slightly in reaction to the undercurrent of danger in his voice and because she loved the fact that he got all defensive at the slightest hint that someone might try to harm his family.

He was most definitely a far better father than he gave himself credit for and her heart was warmed as Aiko smiled at him and said, "I don't think you are bad, Tou-Chan."

Kyo's brow raised in an expression that clearly said "you haven't seen anything yet" but he didn't correct his daughter, merely smirked and said, "Go see your brother, he's missed you and I need you to talk him into getting his hand healed."

Her face brightened even more and she nodded eagerly before scurrying off to do as she was bade, her misgivings about her father's real nature forgotten quickly in favor of more pleasant activities.

The two of them watched her go and Yuya observed her spouse out of the corner of her eye, noting the way he kept his eyes trained on his daughter and the way his lips moved as he muttered something under his breath. Straining, she caught something that sounded like "kill" and "any man" and rolled her eyes heavenward in response.

"You know, that is definitely going to backfire on you when she gets older. Push her too much and you'll wind up driving her towards the absolute last person you want her to have a relationship with," Yuya warned.

"Since that includes pretty much any man on the planet, I don't see a problem. Besides, how much trouble can a girl be?" he replied arrogantly.

The bounty huntress narrowed her eyes at him and folded her arms as she replied waspishly, "There's been many a man who have made statements along those exact same lines of stupid. While it's true that most women aren't equal to men in physical strength, we are still quite capable of making your lives miserable if we so choose."

"Oh, seems to me that I handle you just fine," he said, his tone suggestive.

Yuya shot him a hard look, noticing the cocky twist to his lips and the way his eyes took her in, like a beast sizing up its prey. She knew that look and what it was normally a prelude to and her body responded accordingly.

Licking her lips, she replied with less heat than she wanted, "That's because I'm such a nice person."

"You know, " he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully, "this tough act would be more convincing if you weren't so hot for me that I can smell it," he replied and she blushed as he drifted closer, reaching out to cup her cheek.

"I don't know what you mean," she said, trying to play her feelings off while silently cursing his ridiculous sense of smell.

Kyo chuckled and his hand slid down until he could glide his thumb back and forth over her lips, teasing her with the contrast between the rough, sword-callused digit and the softness of her mouth.

"This says one thing but everything else says you can't wait to have me all to yourself."

She opened her mouth to protest and he halted her by dipping just the tip of his thumb in and swiping it along the moist rim that lay between her teeth and the outer part of her lips. His head drew closer and she licked her lips nervously, catching his skin in the process.

He breathed in sharply, closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead to hers, making a sound deep in his throat that fell somewhere between a groan and growl before pulling his hand away.

"Kyo...," she began but the feel of his hand digging into her shoulder stopped her yet again.

"Don't speak, woman," he said in a voice that sounded almost pained, "because right now I'm somewhere else. Someplace wet and warm and you're sighing my name like I'm the only thing in the world that you'll ever want."

It was poetic in a weirdly erotic way and she didn't interrupt, only listened as he continued, "I already told you that fighting only makes me want you more. Call it the thrill of the battle or my own personal addiction but all I can think of right now is that I like it when your thighs are around me and I can bend down and taste your throat. Your skin is so soft on my tongue and you trust me so much - too much - even though I can hurt you if I bite down too hard. These teeth aren't just for show, you know."

Yuya swallowed and nodded. She knew. Actually, a part of her was thrilled by the fact that he was so powerful - with a body exquisitely crafted to fight and survive – and yet he kept all that raw power in check for her sake. It was a potent lure and, for a moment, she was right there with him and there was no one else but the two of them as he showed her how much he loved her - caressed and kissed her flesh and molded all of the places that made her a woman with his strong hands .

Kyo was rough on everyone, even the people he respected, but his gentleness was only for the people he loved. And those people were her and perhaps their children, although she suspected that she still placed higher even than Aiko, despite the fact that the girl was well on her way to capturing her father's heart.

She took a second to close her eyes and breath in his scent, savoring it for a minute before letting out a pained sigh. They didn't have time and the location was still all wrong.

He must have read her mind because he said roughly, "Don't say it. I know we have an audience and I know that this isn't the place. But I promise you, the moment we are out of here, you belong to me."

"Yes," she breathed out her acquiescence.

"And you'll scream for me, won't you?"

"Yes," she replied again. After all, what other answer could she give when he knew her so well, both inside and out?

"And you'll love me, no matter how wicked I am?" His fingers dug even further into her shoulder and she realized that he wasn't just talking about bedsport, he was also referring to the demon that she glimpsed inside of him from time to time.

"Until the day I die," she replied, tilting her head back just far enough so that he could see the truth of her statement reflected in her eyes. This wasn't the first time he had sought such reassurance and she wondered what secret he was hiding that prompted it yet again.

Didn't he know by then that, just as he knew and understood her, she knew and understood him as well? The good and the bad of Kyo, all of it belonged to her and she closed her eyes once more, basking in the adulation bestowed upon her by her beloved, monstrous husband.

They stayed that way, trading breaths for a minute or two before a commotion broke them apart and they turned to see Shinrei on the ground with a triumphant Hotaru standing over him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yay, managed to slip a smidge of romance in. Seriously, trying to fit it in is getting harder and harder. I really wish I could give Kyo and Yuya some real private time to work out their frustration but I just can't do it. No matter how many scenarios I come up with, I can't help but draw a comparison to horror movies. You know, the ones where a group of folks go into the obviously creepy and dangerous haunted house and there's always that one idiot couple that has you screaming at the TV about how stupid they are, who slip away to get it on and they wind up getting their heads chopped off or something equally horrific. Let's not even mention the fact that they have an RPG party going on right now.

Ah well, will try to squeeze in more if I can. Thank for reading and please let me know your thoughts.


	44. Half-Brothers and Little Smiles

**Thanks so much to everyone who took the time out to review this fic even though this story has been on hiatus for a long time. It's been a very, very rough year and I'm sorry for the long delay.**

 **If you want to know more about where I've been, feel free to check my profile. Otherwise, please enjoy this chapter that has been a long time coming.**

 **Authors note:** I call Akari Toukichirou a lot in the beginning because it starts off from Hotaru's perspective.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty**

 **Half-Brothers and Little Smiles**

Never let it be said that Hotaru wasn't an opportunist of the first order.

Having been forced to survive on his own from a young age, his will and intuition for all things battle-related were highly developed and he didn't quite hold to the belief that there was such a thing as a fair fight. It was either kill or be killed and you used whatever means necessary to take an opponent out.

Take Shinrei, for example. He hated him because he was stodgy and preachy and the precious firstborn of their idiot father – the same man who had tried to kill his unwanted, bastard second son.

It was also a sore point that his older sibling was stupid about people in general and easily manipulated via his loyalty to the clan to the point that it drove Hotaru, who was all about self-preservation, crazy. He couldn't figure out why the other man didn't fight the chains that had been wrapped around him by their sire and the higher-ups in the clan.

Technically, he understood that his brother wasn't a bad person – well, as much as he acknowledged that there were such things good and bad people. However, that didn't prevent him from concluding that the other man was a naïve fool, nor did it keep Shinrei's very existence from rubbing him the wrong way. It also did not stop him from looking for any and every opportunity to one-up the man.

Thus, it was with keen, predatory eyes that he observed the way his brother interacted with Kyo's daughter and wife as well as the way he responded to Akari's provocations.

He asked himself if he felt like making peace. And then he remembered that he was supposed to defeat Shinrei someday because his brother was dumb and annoying.

With that childish thought on his mind, he felt no qualms whatsoever about taking advantage of the other man's weakened state.

All he had to do was walk up to the silver-haired man who, as usual, looked as if he held the weight of the world on his shoulders. Did he mention that he hated the fact that his brother was such a martyr sometimes?

Golden eyes that were the exact same shade as his - a gift from their father - flicked up to meet his gaze. There was a mixture of dislike, embarrassment, and a tiny smidge of hope in that face and Hotaru hesitated a moment.

To many people, Shinrei was hard to read but Hotaru had never really had that problem. He always knew what was going on in that silver head and the only time he didn't was when his brother was almost nice to him. Helpful little actions like letting him cheat on the written part of the test when the two of them were working towards becoming members of the Goyosei were incomprehensible to him. He would never have passed that part since most non-fighting information tended to drain from his brain like a sieve.

After a while, he had finally figured out that the other man hoped that his elevation to one of the esteemed Five Stars would let him see and understand the grandeur of the Mibu clan and instill some sense of honor and duty into him. For Hotaru, it was a prime opportunity to test his strength against the biggest and baddest fish in the pond and that fateful and pitifully short fight against the Crimson King had only served to disappoint his duty-oriented brother and send him on the path to meet Kyo.

Did he also mention that he hated the way Shinrei looked at him sometimes? The other man wanted something out of him – something beyond a sense of duty and obligation to the clan - but, even though he could read his emotions, he could never figure out what that "something" was. It was frustrating and Hotaru hated being frustrated.

His hesitation at seeing the hope on Shinrei's face melted away and the mission to knock him down a peg reasserted itself.

The fire-user laid his trap, extending a hand towards his brother as if he were making peace and the other man's expression switched over to shock. Hotaru's years of cultivating his default façade, a blank face, served him well.

He allowed his sibling to go through a number of emotions before cautious excitement and that other undefinable one that annoyed the life out of him came out on top.

Slowly, one gloved hand came up and those golden eyes shone as their owner extended it to meet his outstretched one.

"Keikoku…," he intoned softly as his fingers closed around his brother's.

The trap was sprung.

Hotaru gripped that hand in a vice-like grip and used it to yank Shinrei forward, pulling him completely off balance so that he stumbled. It gave the younger man the opening he needed to ball his free hand into a fist and drive it _hard_ into his solar plexus.

Had his opponent been at full strength, he never would have caught him off guard with such a cheap trick. Which is precisely why he did it. Who knew when opportunity would come knocking again?

With a groan of pain, his brother sank to the ground with an arm clamped across his middle and Hotaru straightened himself up.

He couldn't help the victorious smirk that touched his lips at finally having his brother groveling at his feet. Unfortunately for him, it was short-lived because something hard and jangling crashed into the back of his head and laid him out next to his sibling.

Sitting up and rubbing the back of his head, he glared up at the interloper who braced the bottom of his shakujo on the ground with a decisive tap and glared at him with glinting violet eyes.

Hotaru's mouth was open and speaking before his brain could warn him about the error of his ways and he said in an annoyed voice, "What was that for? Stupid Toukichirou!"

That earned him a firm stomp in the gut as the shaman said angrily, "The name is Akari! And of all the times for you to trot out your stupid pissing contest with Shinrei, you picked now?! Do you have any idea of the pain you might have cause Ai-Chan?"

Since he didn't recall who Ai-Chan was, all he could muster up was a blank look that only infuriated Toukichirou even more. The other man bent down, grabbed ahold of his ear and forced him to look towards Kyo's children who were staring at the two of them.

"Girl-Kyo, you twit!" the shaman growled.

Golden eyes drifted over to look at the blonde girl, who glared back at him with her arm clutched over her stomach - similar to Shinrei.

The dots just weren't connecting at the moment, though. He didn't have a clue why she seemed angry with him too and briefly wondered what he could have done to piss off both little girls and girly men.

"Don't tell me you haven't heard a single thing we've been talking about. We've only been bandying about Aiko's abilities since the second gate. Good grief, we've even been talking about her connection to Shinrei for the past hour or so."

The shaman turned to the rest of group, who were watching the spectacle with a mixture of amusement and annoyance – the latter mostly from Kyo and Yuya and likely because Girl-Kyo was mad at him too. That or he had kept them from putting their hands all over each other. They seemed to do that a lot and he wondered abstractly if they were planning on making more Girl and Boy-Kyo's."

Fingers snapped in front of his face impatiently and Toukichirou growled, "Focus, idiot!"

Addressing the rest of their friends assembled, the other man then asked, "Even though we haven't had an official discussion. Who here knows that Aiko is a shaman and linked to Shinrei?"

Everyone, from Akira, to Bon, to Benitora, to Okuni and the rest, raised their hands in acknowledgement. Even Santera raised a shy hand and she had only been with them for a fraction of the time.

" _See_ , everyone else had the good sense to eavesdrop on the situation and pass on the information. Where _were_ you this whole time?!" Toukichirou thundered, turning back to Hotaru.

Plotting ways to kill Shinrei and have a rematch with Kyo and the rest of the Shiseiten. And maybe fight Yuan. Then Hishigi, Fubuki, and Tokito. Oh, and why not the Former King as well since he had been itching to fight him again after his first defeat.

Hotaru was about to reply with his internal list of the names of people he needed to fight but Shinrei interrupted at that point.

"Don't bother, Akari-San," his brother said, as he sat up with a groan.

"He's too stupid to think about anyone but himself and fighting the next battle. Questioning him is like beating your head against a wall. You only do it because it feels so good when you stop."

That raised chuckles and a few "so true" comments from his friends and Hotaru glared at them and his brother in turn. Since when had the silver-haired man learned how to crack jokes?

His sibling glowered right back him before uttering words that completely knocked him for a loop.

"I don't know why I thought you had changed for a moment. I guess I deserved to get sucker punched for believing my idiot brother had actually matured."

Time stopped for a moment and Hotaru was speechless as he stared at the other man in shock.

Reaching up to swipe at a dribble of blood that had escaped between his lips because of getting punched to hard in the stomach, Shinrei actually smirked and said, "Now if only I could freeze your expression right now. I don't think I've ever managed to shock you in all the years we've known each other."

The fire-user hastily fixed his face into it's normal façade and asked suspiciously, "How long have you known?"

His nemesis took his time replying, doubtless on purpose to get back at him for hitting him so underhandedly and because he knew he was so eager to hear his answer. Hotaru thought it was petty for him to keep him waiting. Naturally, the hypocrisy of the complaint escaped him.

Once he was sure he'd drawn it out enough, Shinrei said, "I've known for years. Didn't you ever wonder why father's assassin's stopped coming after you or why I recommend you for the Five Stars and even helped you on the test?"

Not really. He had killed so many of the people who came after him that he assumed they had given up and he figured Yuan had recommended him to the Five Stars in hopes of making him even stronger. Hotaru had accepted because it gave him more people to fight and because it would put him on a more even footing with his brother. He truly hated the thought of Shinrei accomplishing anything that he couldn't, like being taller or stronger.

The idea that his sibling had actually put his name up for the honor of being a member of the Goyosei and that he might have intervened on his behalf with their father was one that he had a hard time processing. It was nothing like the rigid, self-righteous man he had come to know.

His suspicious nature came to the fore and he narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Then why do you hate me so much?"

The look Shinrei gave him was incredulous as he replied heatedly, "You actually have the nerve to ask me that after using a dirty trick to knock me down?!"

Hotaru's reply was to shrug. There was no such thing as an unfair fight when dealing with an enemy.

His sibling muttered something under his breath that he assumed was uncomplimentary, before heaving a long-suffering sigh and answering, "If you think I hate you because you are my illegitimate brother, then you are wrong. I never wanted to be father _precious_ , sole heir."

There was such a bitter twist to the words that Hotaru himself could have uttered them. In the dark, cobwebbed recesses of his mind, the light started to come on. He had always assumed that Shinrei believed he was better than everyone else because he was the only acknowledged successor to a long and noble aristocratic lineage. That his beliefs about his brother were not the absolute truth had never once occurred to him until now.

Sitting back and bracing himself on his arms so he could stare him in the eye directly, he continued, "My dislike for you is because you are lazy, shiftless, self-centered, and concerned only with fighting. You never _think_! Not only that, but you tried to kill me the first time we met. I don't care that you are a bastard. What does that even mean? Men have children with their concubines all the time and set them up as heirs but father got it into his head that you would try to vy with me as a successor and never accepted you the way he should, even though it's perfectly legal. Maybe if he had, we wouldn't be in this situation. Maybe I wouldn't have been the only one father..."

He cut himself off abruptly and grimaced as he said, "Anyways, we need to get moving. Staying in one spot with a group this size is unwise. Akari-san?"

The shaman, who had eagerly lapping up every word of their conversation – probably for use later against the two of them – stepped forward and replied snarkily, "Don't call me like you know me."

Shinrei visibly fought not to roll his eyes and asked as steadily as possible as he got to his feet, "I was injured pretty heavily a while back and my idiot brother has only made things worse. According to Yuya-San, you have tremendous healing capabilities."

"Yeah," Toukichirou replied, reluctance written all over his face.

Even Hotaru could see that his companion was nursing some sort of grudge against his brother. Not that he could blame him, he was dying to know what Shinrei had been about to say about their father before he stopped himself and the shaman was probably annoyed for the same reason.

Ignoring the crossdresser's rude tone of voice, his sibling said directly, "I don't expect something for nothing. Name your price."

It was the wrong thing to say to a mischievous opportunist like the shaman. Those violet eyes sparkled and his lips bowed up into a beatific smile. His entire countenance became angelic and Hotaru knew that crushing humiliation was going to follow. He briefly debated warning Shinrei about what was about to happen but decided that keeping silent would have more amusing results. The younger man was still processing the revelations of a few minutes ago and didn't like his brother like that yet.

"What a generous soul you are," Toukichirou replied sweetly.

"I have no problem at all with healing your injuries as long as you tell me...," those eyes glinted maliciously as he landed the killing blow, "...about your sex life."

Shinrei's face went through a series of contortions before it turned white then red in anger and embarrassment. He shot an accusatory look at Hotaru who shrugged in response. It wasn't his problem that his brother had put himself at the mercy of his pink-haired friend.

Toukichirou smirked as he watched him stew and Hotaru knew it was a win-win to him. Whether Shinrei turned him down and endured his wounds or told him the nitty gritty details of his sex life, the shaman got what he wanted. Seeing Shinrei suffer.

However, he gave his sibling props for being enough like him to never turn down a challenge. The other man glared at the shaman and replied through gritted teeth, "Fine."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuya breathed a sigh of relief when Akari led Shinrei away to heal his wounds. She pitied the fact that he had landed on the wrong side of the shaman for some reason but she was glad that he would get the help he needed.

His entire exchange with Hotaru had only solidified her belief that the man had a lot of layers but was basically a good person at heart. Even as an outsider, she had realized that, as antagonistic as the relationship between the two men was, the silver-haired warrior had done what he could to look out for his little brother.

It made her both happy and sad because she couldn't help but think of how her relationship with Nozomu had been. There had never been a doubt in her mind that he loved her dearly and she wished that he could see how far she'd come.

 _'You're an uncle now, Nozomu Nii-san. You'd love Aiko and Ryu to bits if you were here,'_ she thought to herself.

A warm hand settled on the curve of her back and Kyo murmured softly for her ears only, "No need to get all weepy over those two fools."

Blinking back the nostalgic tears that sometimes rose automatically when she thought about her brother, she replied, "I was just thinking about Nozomu, that's all."

His hand moved over further and clasped her side so that he could pull her closer to his warmth as her husband said, "I didn't save him."

She heard the apology in his voice without him actually saying "sorry" and smiled as she leaned her head against his arm.

"You were a different person then and I don't think you could have fought Kyoshiro off at the time anyways."

He grunted in response and tightened his hold as he changed the subject, "We need to get going. Shinrei was right when he said it isn't smart for a group this big to hang around here."

"Of course," Yuya said as the rest of their group gathered around to confer with Kyo about what to do next.

With the usual worries of a mother, she sought out her children who had come close as well. Ryu was shadowing Aiko, who flitted from person to person and marveled at all of the new people. She had been worried that her daughter would suffer ill effects from Hotaru's assault on his brother via the link she shared with Shinrei. But, outside of clutching her stomach when it first happened, she seemed alright for the most part. Perhaps having Akari heal him had put the incident out of her mind.

She watched as Akira politely introduced himself followed by Mahiro, who elbowed Benitora. The Shogun's heir offered the child a grin and Yuya's daughter returned it with a broad one of her own and a comment about his "pretty" tiger scarf. The girl was also suitably impressed by Okuni's beauty and looked confused by Santera who gave her a shy smile while taking a large step backwards to avoid accidental contact.

After that, she stared up in absolute awe at Bon's immense height and squealed in delight when he scooped her up and, grinning, tossed her nearly ten feet into the air before catching her deftly in his strong arms. Even though she knew he would never let any harm come to her child, Yuya's heart still jumped into her throat at the giant's antics and she had to look away for a second when Ryu forgot to be taciturn towards Kyo's friends and requested his turn to get hurled into the air as well.

Once her son was on the ground again, Yuya decided to intervene before Bon got it into his head to start juggling her offspring and called Aiko over so she could get her clothes into some semblance of order. After peeking beneath Shinrei's tunic to see what else she was wearing, she drew the blue garment off and examined the white gown she was left in. Her eyebrows shot up upon seeing her daughter's behind hanging out the back and she raised her eyes up to meet Shinrei's. By that time, he had been healed by Akari who was whistling cheerfully in the background while the subject of his humiliating inquisition blushed scarlet.

If possible, Shinrei's face got even redder when he realized what she was doing with Aiko and Yuya offered up a silent prayer of thanks that the other man had enough sense of self-preservation to garb her daughter sensibly when he was rescuing her. While child Aiko with her bottom hanging out was amusing and actually pretty cute, adult Aiko would have been a completely different story. She wasn't entirely sure she would have been able to talk Kyo out of running Shinrei through or Bon and Tora either since the latter two could be pretty perverted at times.

She shot a significant look towards her husband before mouthing "thank you" to the other man who blinked and nodded his head, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards ever so slightly. He had the expression of a man who knew just how much of a handful the Thousand Killer was, even on the best of days. Hadn't Kyo explained that it was Shinrei's job to keep him occupied these past four days?

At some point, she wanted to question him about what Kyo had been like while they were separated but making sure Aiko was decent took precedence. After turning the girl this way and that and bunching and un-bunching the fabric so see which style of dress would work, Yuya picked up the open halves of her lab gown. Reaching out with her free hand, she fished about in the bag she always kept on her person during her travels, making a triumphant little hum when she encountered the sewing box she stored inside for repairing clothes and stitching wounds.

Before long, she had turned the unflattering gown into a loose dress that covered her child almost to her ankles and she set about brushing her hair and fashioning it into a braid to keep it from getting any more tangled. Aiko was bouncing in impatience by then and Yuya bade her to hold still for a few minutes more while she retrieved Shinrei's tunic from the ground and checked to see if it needed repairs as well. It was the least she could do for the man and she marveled at the fine and clearly expensive texture of his clothes and the way the blue changed in hue from a dark ocean blue to a lighter blue with a tint of green. Once she was sure it hadn't been damaged, she carefully folded it up with the intent to return it but Aiko beat her to the punch.

"Can I _please_ give it back, Kaa-Chan?" her daughter begged prettily, tiny hands outstretched for the tunic.

Yuya stared at her for a moment and understood immediately that this was something very important to her child. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of the girl's attachment to Shinrei but she saw no harm in letting her express her gratitude to the person who had saved her life and spare her and Kyo from a great deal of additional heartache.

"Fine, but don't bother him too much, Ai-Chan. I think he's a little overwhelmed at the moment."

"Okay!" came the cheerful reply and the bounty huntress knew that the child had probably tuned out everything she said after the word "fine".

The child grabbed the clothes out of her hands eagerly and carted them as carefully as she could to Shinrei.

"Thank you so much, Shinrei-Sama!" she said happily and loudly as she offered them up to him in a manner that could best be described as reverent. In response, Yuya got to witness something that she suspected very few people saw.

With a surreptitious side glance to make sure neither Kyo nor Hotaru were watching him, he bent down and took the clothing from her with equal appreciation. And then he smiled at Aiko and Yuya's breath caught in her throat.

If she thought he was handsome before, he was positively stunning when he wasn't looking so serious and she quickly turned away, feeling as if she were intruding. Shinrei's smile was a rare gift and it wasn't for her.

"Thank you for coming back Aiko," he said it so softly that she had to strain to hear it.

"But...I don't ever want you putting your life in danger for my sake again," he intoned sternly in a louder voice and Yuya looked at him again, noting that the smile had gone as soon as it had come.

"Yes, Shinrei-Sama," Aiko said with equal solemnity although her eyes were dancing.

"I've lived far more of my life than you have and I don't want you squandering what little you have on me or any other adult."

"Yes, Shinrei-sama," the child replied a second time, though her words lacked sincerity.

"I mean it," he said, sensing that she was simply agreeing with him for the sake of agreement.

"Of course," came the obedient response and Yuya noted the indulgent tone in her voice. It was as if her role as child and Shinrei's as the adult had been reversed and she stifled a laugh, wondering if this was the first time he'd encountered Aiko's stubborn side.

He caught her laughter and looked to her with a pleading expression, clearly asking her to intervene and explain to her daughter why his request – well, command really – was so important.

Yuya beckoned Aiko over and said, "You have to do your best to be careful. Your father and I...and Shinrei-San would be very sad if anything else happened to you."

He looked startled to be included in her statement but he didn't interrupt and her daughter's face took on a pensive expression as she turned her words over in her little head.

The young woman left her to her own devices and said, "She'll stew on that for a bit. You have to make her think about how her action will affect others if you want to get anywhere with her. She's my child too, you know."

She punctuated her words with a wink and enlightenment and remembrance spread on Shinrei's face. No doubt he was recalling the situation that had led to her getting curse years ago. She hadn't been able to stop herself from helping the man she loved by imposing herself between him and Shinrei. A devastating curse and four years of separation later, here they were.

"Point taken," he said and she chuckled, relieved that he wasn't nearly as bad a person as she'd thought.

Aiko looked from one adult to other, trying to figure out what they found so amusing before inspiration lit her features and she turned to Shinrei once more.

"By the way, Shinrei-Sama...Do you have a snake?" she asked innocently and Yuya almost choked in mortification.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sorry it's a bit short after so long. I have more to write but this seemed like a decent stopping point since I have so much to cover. I actually really enjoy writing about Yuya talking and interacting with Shinrei. Maybe it's the whole theme of redemption between the two but it's very relaxing to me.

There is a whole lot more to come and I'll try to have the next chapter up within the next week. Thanks for reading and more action, comedy, a smidge of BonKuni romance, and plot coming up. I've also been going over my previous chapters these past couple months and cleaning up spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and run on sentences as well as tightening up the story so it flows better. I'll be uploading the updated chapters over the next few days but don't worry, I haven't changed anything that will break the plot so far. =)

Please let me know what you think. I really hope I haven't lost my touch or left in too many errors. T_T


	45. Joy and Sorrow

**Thanks to:** **jestinerosemanalo** (Glad I could help you start your day off happily.), **general zargon** (Sorry again for the long delay but I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Things have been very rough of late which is why I disappeared for a while but hopefully the sad times are past for now.), **lmamc** , **DebyMU** (So happy you enjoyed Yuya's interaction with Shinrei and, no worries, Kyo knows Yuya only has eyes for him. ㈴1 I hope I can make you laugh even more next chapter. ), **Yira** (I'm so happy to be back. As for what Shinrei told Akari…that will come out in time. ;P I agree, Shinrei is super cute. Kyo will have his hands full when his daughter is old enough to notice.), **J Luc Pitard** (Glad to hear from you again. I can't claim my muse left me so much as real life took a nose dive for a while and had to come first.), **Azure** (So happy to hear from you again too. A little bit more bonding, and hilarity, between the brothers here. Hotaru is a joy to write because, like you said, he is so very simple-minded with the occasional flash of brilliance. Trust me when I say continuing this story is not burdensome at all. It's actually helping me to relax even though things have been tough lately.)

 **Author's Note:** Don't let the copious amount of fluff, romance, and character development fool you. Stuff hits the fan by the end of the chapter. The promised plot movement is here at last. =)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-One**

 **Joy and Sorrow**

Shinrei stared at Aiko in bewilderment and she gazed right back at him with expectant ruby eyes. In truth, he couldn't make heads or tails of her inquiry and so he looked to Yuya for guidance.

The young woman was blushing scarlet and shook her head vehemently as she said, "Don't ask. It's a stupid joke my husband made up and you're liable to wind up humiliated if you pursue it."

That she was a kind person was evident by the way she had raised her daughter and thus he didn't doubt the veracity of her words.

"I'm quite sure that I don't have a snake," he replied after a moment, assuming that his answer would be the end of it.

Unfortunately, Aiko wasn't willing to let it go and replied, "But Tou-Chan says all boys have one."

At that point, Keikoku - who had clearly grown bored of making plans with Kyo and wanted to torment him again - approached. He caught the tail end of Aiko's words and asked, "Have one what?"

Shinrei shot him a look to discourage him from making further inquiries but it went over his head completely as the child replied.

"A snake."

"What snake?" the idiot queried.

"The one all boys have."

Listening to the exchange, Shinrei put two and two together about the sort of person Kyo was and had an epiphany about the identity of the "snake". It was hardly an appropriate subject to discuss with a little girl and he injected as much warning into his voice as he could muster as he intoned sternly, "Drop it, Keikoku."

"it's Hotaru now," came the absent reply before he continued, "A snake all boys have?"

That red-gold head nodded.

"That means I have it too?"

Another nod.

The gears in his brother's head were turning and that was never a good thing. He grunted in irritation when Keikoku straightened and walked away a few steps while he tried to figure out what sort of snake he had and where it had been hiding his whole life. He even started pacing back and forth after a while.

On the one hand, Shinrei was glad that he hadn't worked out what they were talking about but, on the other hand, it wasn't _that_ hard to figure out. He wondered for the millionth time why his younger brother was so _thick_.

"Tou-Chan said it's in your clothes," Aiko supplied helpfully since he was taking too long to give her an answer.

The light went on in those golden eyes and Keikoku made a little "ah" sound. He stopped mid-stride and looked down at himself before reaching for the band of his shorts and tugging it away slightly so he could peer inside and confirm his suspicions.

Yuya made a choking sound and hurried over to grab her daughter's hand so she could herd her further away from the show he was putting on. Shinrei tried to decide if he should kick the idiot or follow after Kyo's wife and apologize on his behalf.

Things took a turn for the even weirder when Akari wandered over as well, likely sensing the imminent arrival of more blackmail material.

The shaman took one look at Keikoku - standing there and looking down into his pants - and his eyebrows rose up so high they almost reached his hairline.

"Honestly, Hotaru, can't you keep it in your pants? No one wants to stare at your goods," he said in a chiding tone.

"I found the snake," the younger man murmured distractedly.

"Found the wha...? What in the world is wrong with you?" Akari asked on a long sigh.

"Girl-Kyo asked me about my snake," Hotaru finally let go of the band on his pants before looking at his friend.

Violet eyes turned to Aiko, who was fascinated by the entire exchange, and she said, "Tou-Chan said all boys have a snake and that it gets puffed up, especially around girls. Ah, but Shinrei-Sama said he doesn't have one."

"Shinrei-Sama" wanted the heavens to open up and smite him as Akari smirked.

There was a malicious gleam in his eyes as he gave him a sidelong stare and replied, "Well, considering how little he's used it in his lifetime, I would be surprised if his hasn't already shriveled up and died by now. Or maybe it's even fallen off."

The silver-haired man felt his face flame – it was a frustratingly regular occurrence around Kyo and friends – and he reached for his swords, fully prepared to silence that snide tongue before his secrets could come spilling out. The light of challenge came on in return and the air around his soon-to-be opponent grew a little darker.

Oddly enough, it was his brother who came to his rescue before the shaman could let slip even more information about his practically nonexistent sex life.

"Didn't you already chop yours off, Toukichirou?" Keikoku asked mildly and it was Akari's turn to blush.

"I already told you to stop calling me that and of course I haven't," he spat.

"But you said you're a woman."

"Yes. But I have no intention of messing with perfection," he arrogantly gestured up and down his body with his gloved hand.

"But you only use your snake for peeing. In fact, I don't think you ever used it for anything else even when we all ran around with Kyo years ago," he said it in such a way as to imply that Akari was being silly for not making use of his genitals.

Being called stupid by a man who was an idiot by every definition of the word rendered the other man speechless for a long moment while he processed what had been said.

After a long pause, he replied grouchily, "Well, it's different for women than it is for men! And stop calling it a snake. You sound like you're three!"

It was a lame response and Shinrei, who had never seen his brother best _anyone_ verbally, was both amazed and gratified to see him knock the abrasive shaman off balance.

The pink-haired instigator shot him a dark look and said, "Oh, stop looking so pleased with yourself. It's not like Hotaru slept around that much either when we were all together."

"Doesn't mean I never used it," came the bland response. Shinrei had never been as grateful for the fact that his sibling had no concept of shame as he was in that moment.

Since Keikoku was clearly unfazed by the sharp retort, Akari threw his hands up in the air and muttered under his breath as he whirled about and stomped back over to Kyo with an unladylike gait. By that time, Shinrei was convinced that Kyo's friends were as mad as Chinmei.

As he watched Akari leave, he asked Keikoku, "Why do you keep calling him Toukichirou and how exactly does he expect to fool anyone into believing he's female? Once you move past the face…," he let the sentence hang and shook his head in confusion.

"Toukichirou is his real name but he hates it. And he's the strongest out of the Shiseiten so we don't really think about the rest."

It was unusual to hear his brother openly acknowledge that anyone was stronger and he stared at his sibling who peered back at him with matching golden eyes.

A second passed and Shinrei felt as if his measure was being taken by those orbs before his brother said, "You shouldn't make Toukichirou mad. I'm the only one who's supposed to kill you."

He waited for him to elaborate but only silence followed as he turned and walked off as well, leaving him alone once more.

Truthfully, he found it hard to believe that someone like Akari was powerful enough to get even Keikoku to give him a wide berth but things were rarely what they seemed. Looking back at the shaman, he noted that he carried himself the way a swordsman might, feet placed deliberately and just-so with each step. There was also the dark aura that had flared around him ever-so-slightly when he reached for his swords and that fact that the Mibu clan had exterminated most of the shamans because of the threat they posed.

A crazy thought entered his head.

Had his stupid brother - who reminded him on a regular basis that he hated him – been protecting him by diverting Akari's ire toward himself?

He turned to stare at Keikoku's back but knew that he wouldn't be able to glean any answers from it. Nor would his brother answer him with anything other than insults if he questioned him directly.

Sighing, he decided that he was simply imagining things. It would take more than confessing that he'd always known they shared the same blood to mend the bridge between the two of them that their father had torn down. There was no way his self-centered brother would look out for him.

It was impossible.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The time had come to part ways.

While the rest of the group finalized their plans to head for the castle with all due haste and Yuya was working on Aiko's attire, Okuni drifted away and approached Santera. Soft brown eyes rose from their near-permanent position on the ground and watched her approach cautiously.

Taking care not to make any sudden movements lest she scare the girl, the former spy smiled and said, "We never really spoke to each other before but I know who you are. My name is Okuni, formerly Indara of the Juunishinshou."

The young woman blinked and her mouth formed a little "o" of surprise before she blushed and said quietly, "I had heard from the others that you were very pretty and that it made you a good s-spy."

Apparently, nervousness made her stutter.

"It's true enough. But I've since left that life behind me."

"Oh…that's nice. I wanted to leave it behind too but they said my powers were too useful to go to waste."

Thin fingers came together and Santera started to fidget. It was clear that she was painfully shy around strangers and people in general."

The older woman kept her tone gentle as she asked, "And who are "they"? Is Shindara still around? What about little Antera?"

"Well…I haven't seen them in a long while. Hi-Hishigi-Sama said that he was going to put them to sleep for a bit while he works on enhancing their powers. And that he was going to make new members for the Ju-Juunishinshou since Kyo had k-killed most of them."

Since the Twelve God Shoguns were appointed to serve whichever incarnation of Nobunaga was roaming about at the time, Okuni wondered when the Mibu would bring him back next. It had already been four years and the man was due for yet another comeback, especially with the clan's plan to subjugate humanity once and for all.

Deciding to leave that line of questioning for another time, she asked, "And what about you? Do you still want to leave?"

That black head bobbed up and down enthusiastically and Okuni held her breath as a fine shimmer of powder rose up from the strands and dissipated into the air. Santera obviously felt very strongly about getting away.

"I have to leave soon. Would you like to accompany me out of here?"

She expected another enthusiastic nod but the girl surprised her by glancing over at Akari and asking softly, "What gave you the strength to leave?"

Wondering where that had come from, Okuni replied, "I decided that I was tired of serving people who didn't care about me."

"Is that all? It's not because you found a good friend in that big man over there?"

That bespectacled gaze swung toward Bon and the older woman gave a start. She hadn't been teasing Bon as much as usual since Santera joined their group so she didn't see how the girl knew about her feelings.

As if reading her mind, the girl said in a whisper, "He always stays near you and you watch him…a lot."

Okuni - having learned the power of a well-timed stare some time ago – kept looking at her and it prompted her to babble more to cover her unease.

"People don't really pay attention to me . Chinmei said it's because I'm p-plain and b-boring. But…just because I can't be around people, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy w-watching the way they behave together."

The powder in the air was starting to increase to dangerous levels the longer she talked and the former spy decided to ease off, averting her eyes at last. However, she mentally filed away the discovery that those over-sized glasses and shy demeanor concealed a keen mind.

You aren't wrong, Santera-San," she said thoughtfully, "I'm just not sure why my relationship with Bon matters to you."

"It's just…I feel like I can finally leave because I have a friend now," she replied, glancing at Akari again from beneath her lashes.

"I wanted to know if you were like me. If you found the strength to leave because you made a friend who was more important than the Mibu. Someone who likes and understands you. "

Even though the words were softly spoken, Okuni was touched by how astute she was. The vain seductress she'd played at being for years wanted to decry the implications of the statement – that she was even remotely like the mincing wallflower in front of her. But she had spent the last few years learning how to be honest with herself.

Before she left Kyo and Yuya behind, Bon had been the only person who saw her real face - the bitter part of her persona that she wasn't proud of. Still, he had comforted her when she needed it, offering the strength of his arms. And hadn't she found her way back to him precisely because he knew and accepted who she was?

She stared at Bon, who was laughing heartily at something Hotaru said and replied, "What I want from him is a lot more than friendship."

Friendship didn't leave her with heated dreams in the middle of the night. Nor did it make her want to rub her bare skin over that magnificently muscular chest. It also wasn't what that tempted her daily to press her lips to his or sent her heart into palpitations whenever she felt his body heat.

Okuni wanted him – playful, kind, and wonderful Bontenmaru. A larger-than-life man with arms that felt as if they could lift the weight of the world's problems. They certainly had no problem lifting her. She was going to leave so she could support him in her own way, repayment for the way he had supported her when she needed it.

"Anyways, you never answered the question. Would you be alright leaving with me?"

"I think so...Yes," Santera replied.

"Good, lets inform the rest of the group."

The two women headed over towards the others and Okuni approached Bon, who paused mid-sentence and stared at her.

Her steps slowed and she just took him in - committing the hard planes of his face, the faint sign of silver bristles on his cheeks, and that single eye to memory. Her gaze drifted down to his lips and she felt a twinge of regret. Here she was going to be separated from him for the first time in years and she hadn't gotten single kiss out of him yet.

As if reading her mind, his eyes darkened and he said, "You look like there's something on your mind."

' _I love you. I want you.'_

She couldn't voice that thought out loud. Not yet. It would only distract him from what he needed to do.

Instead she replied, "It's time for me to leave. Santera has agreed to come with me."

"Is this something to do with you plotting with Yukimura once we got here?" he asked, his face hardening slightly and she blinked, surprised that he had noticed their interaction. The two of them had kept it brief so as not to arouse suspicion in case things went awry later.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say something glib and tease him a bit but… his body language was rigid, displeased.

Bemused, she asked, "Does me talking with Yukimura upset you?"

"He's blackmailed me more than once and I don't exactly trust him around you. He's too used to playing around with women," he replied.

Understanding started to dawn and she asked gently, "And you would have a problem with me dallying with him?"

Bon grunted in response and she added, "Even though this," she gestured from her herself to him, "isn't real?"

He flinched almost imperceptibly and one big hand came up to rub at the back of his neck as he looked away and said, "I thought you wanted it to be real. You've darn near made my life hell to get back at me."

Affront flared up immediately at his description of their relationship but it died out just as quickly. It didn't take much to realize that he was jealous of her leaving his side for only a moment to consult with Yukimura. Even though his words were tactless and he could be incredibly dense at time, he was not a stupid man. She couldn't have loved him as much as she did if he were.

His biggest problem was that, like many men, he had spent so much time with women who were paid to love him or were only interested in his position that he didn't recognize the real thing when he saw it.

"I think you know by now that I'm not playing around, Bontenmaru," she said it gently, willing him to take the hint, and his eye snapped back to hers.

Okuni wondered internally why she was having to profess her sincerity to him. Wasn't it usually the man who had to convince a woman that she was the only one for him? Men used to confess to her all the time that she was their goddess, the woman of their dreams. It was such an odd role reversal that she chuckled, causing his brows to knit together in confusion.

"Only you would make me work this hard for you," she said as she stepped closer, reaching forward to touch the tips of her fingers to his bare stomach.

The muscles jumped deliciously beneath her digits and she leaned towards him until she was close enough to smell his scent. Sweat and earth. A primal creature at heart.

"Everyone is watching," he said, as if that would deter her. She glanced to the side and the rest of their friends - except the children and a wickedly amused Kyo – quickly turned away and pretended that they weren't shamelessly eavesdropping.

"Everyone has already figured out what I want," she replied, scratching her nails ever so lightly against his skin and thrilling at the way his breathing changed.

"The only one who is trying to catch up is you. Even Yukimura knows what I want. Don't you?" she asked, diverting her attention to the other man who nodded cheerfully despite his injuries.

"It's true Bon-Chan. I can't compete with you in this case…as much as it pains me to admit it," the other noble said without a hint of actual regret in his voice.

"Do you want to know why I spoke with Yukimura and how the Shogun knew what you were accomplishing in Sendai?"

She flattened her hand against his belly and stroked it slightly, drawing his eye to it as he replied absently, "Yeah."

"It's because I've been working towards helping you realize your dreams, Bon. You are physically strong but I also want you to be the powerful ruler you've always dreamed of being."

"Oh," he breathed it out and she had a feeling that his dreams had taken a completely different turn away ruling the country and more towards wondering what she was going to do with her hand.

She slowly brought her fingers up, mapping out the hills of his abdomen. Excluding the long one on the bottom, she counted them out. Two. Four. Six.

"To that end, I've been enlisting as much aid as I can. The Mibu clan must fall and we can only accomplish that by being united. That's why I'm leaving. The Shogun is en route as well as Yukimura's followers. Even your own men should put in an arrival soon," his eyebrows rose at that she was sure he was wondering how she had accomplished that without his knowledge.

Okuni's hand moved again, traveling upwards until she reached the groove between his pectorals. She stared at those twin slabs and daydreamed for a moment about kissing him there. It would be after she had already left her mark on his neck and on her way down even lower. She licked her lips, all but tasting the salt of his skin.

Her silence must have unnerved him because he demanded, "And what do you want in return? Marriage for aiding me and my friends?"

Disappointment laced his tone and it snapped her back to the present. Annoyance at the idea that she would be so underhanded about getting what she wanted from him brought a frown to her face and she brought her eyes up to his.

"In my dreams, you finally make our union permanent. But that's not the only goal. Marriage without the other thing I want would be meaningless."

She could tell it was on the tip of his tongue to ask her to elaborate on what else she needed but he held his silence. And she softened her expression as she moved her hand until her palm was flattened against his heart.

Waiting just one additional moment to ensure that there would be no mistaking what she was talking about, she made her demand.

"Give it to me."

He physically took a step back, panic written on his face as he exclaimed, "You can't just demand that from me!"

She matched his retreat with her own step forward – a huntress tracking her prey - and invaded his personal space again as she said, "I'm a greedy woman. I want what I want."

Bon moved back again and looked about, glaring harshly at his friends as he growled, "Aren't we supposed to get a move on?!"

"But this is infinitely more fun," came the jovial reply from Yukimura.

Akari, who had drifted closer to the other noble - doubtless to offer his services as a healer and get more dirt on him - chimed in, "Seeing Big Bad Bon get run down by a woman is worth the wait. I'll be getting all sorts of mileage out of this for years to come."

The shaman's laughter filled the air and his brawny friend's face grew even more thunderous.

"See what you've started!" he spat, returning his gaze to her.

"I mean you no harm, Bon," she replied gently, knowing that men could be dangerous when their pride got involved in a matter.

"So, you say. I've no intention of giving up my freedom just to satisfy your whims and I never asked for your help! I wish you would just leave me alone already!" he said the words with such finality that it stopped her in her tracks.

Surely he understood that she meant what she said? That she was helping him because she wanted to?

"Bon…," she began but he gave her his back and ignored her. He didn't even march off, probably because he was embarrassed at the way he had backed away from her just a minute prior.

Okuni had run into a wall of her own making and helplessness reared its head when she realized that she had miscalculated. She should have just told him plainly that she loved him instead of worrying that it would distract him while they were separated. As astute as he was about the emotions and motivations of others, he only understood plain speaking when it came to himself and how people felt about him. She knew how wonderful he was but she also knew that he could be stubborn too and he wouldn't want to hear anything else she said for a while…if ever.

A fog descended over her thoughts while the rest of the group said their goodbyes. As if from a distance, she listened to Benitora's instructions for Mahiro to accompany her and Santera to his father. The other woman was to serve as both a back-up and a liaison between the houses of Masamune and Tokugawa.

The kunoichi asked Yuya if she wanted her to escort the children back as well but Kyo put an end to that.

"I don't trust your old fox of a master around my kids," he said in a tone that brooked no argument before continuing, "Besides, this entire region is about to turn into a warzone. The Shogun can't protect the two of them better than I can."

No one argued with him. And, after that, the group packed up and headed through the final gate, leaving her alone with Santera and Mahiro who tried not to stare at her with sympathy.

She turned towards the two of them and said as normally as possible, "Would you mind going on ahead of me? I'll follow after you in just a moment."

Okuni needed to be alone for a moment because she couldn't stand the thought of crying in front of others.

The two did as she bade and she waited until their footsteps had faded into the distance before she clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle the wail of pain that arose. She felt as she were going to fall apart and her shoulders shook as her vision blurred and the tears began to fall.

Time seemed to stand still as she wept and chastised herself for arrogantly pushing Bon too far. She had known it could backfire but she hadn't been able to control herself. If she couldn't speak her feelings for him, she wanted him to at least let her into his heart the way he was firmly entrenched in hers. It would have given her more courage as she finished her role in helping Yukimura to forge an alliance between three of the most powerful clans in the country. At the end of the day, she was still going to be presenting herself to Ieyasu Tokugawa, a man who was not known for his kindness.

She was wallowing so deeply in her own misery that she didn't notice the lone figure that appeared in the gate or his heavy, determined steps as he made his way towards her.

However, she did notice when he enveloped her in his strong arms and said irritably, "Aw man, stop weeping. You know I'm useless around a woman who cries."

"Well it's your fault for being so mean, Bon. You have to take responsibility," she replied weakly, staring at his chest because she couldn't quite bring herself to look at his face.

"Yeah, so I've been told," he said, letting out a long-suffering sigh that danced along the top of her head.

"Is that why you're back? For the sake of your pride?" she murmured, debating whether or not she should pull away. But being in Bontenmaru's embrace was too good a feeling to reject out of hand and she decided that her own ego could take a back seat for a moment.

Okuni mentally called herself seven different types of pathetic for caving to him but snuggled closer anyways.

"According to Yuya, although she loves me, I'm a 'big stupid ape' for trampling all over your feelings. She also said you would be back here, crying _all_ by yourself."

The former spy smirked and lifted her head ever so slightly to look at his face as she said in amusement, "Yuya has matured into a frighteningly perceptive young woman. Did she really emphasize it like that?"

"Yeah, made me feel like garbage. I don't like hurting women."

She raised a brow and asked archly, "Only women in general."

"Gonna' make me work for it, aren't you?" he asked in resignation.

"You know it," was her tart reply.

"Fine. I don't want to hurt you, Okuni. You're both a good woman and a beautiful one. The prettiest I've ever seen, actually."

"Laying it on a bit thick aren't we? Especially when I probably look a mess right now," she said teasingly and he merely stared at her with a neutral expression until she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

She'd forgotten. Bon was never false when he praised someone.

He loosened his hold on her and used his hands to push her back a bit so that he could keep her in his sights. Then he brought those over-sized appendages up so that he could tuck her hair behind her ears and cup her cheeks, swiping at the tears in the corners of her eyes with his thumbs.

It was so rare for him to put his hands on her that her breathing actually went shallow with excitement.

' _Touch me more…please.'_

She knew her silent plea was etched there on her face and sighed in contentment as his eye softened and his lips bowed up into that charming grin that was his trademark.

"Emotional confessions and all that…I'm no good with this sort of thing," he confessed in a low voice and then his face was coming closer and her eyes were drifting shut as he pressed his lips to hers.

His lips were soft and he kissed her for what felt like an eternity before pulling away and pressing one to the right corner of her mouth, followed by the left. And she melted into him, arms sliding around his neck while his hands left her cheeks and roamed downwards to cup her bottom.

He pulled her up and against his body, causing her feet to leave the ground and she gloried in his strength and sighed in contentment as she begged entrance to his mouth with tiny swipes of her tongue and was granted permission.

Bontenmaru wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Even without the words, it was there in his kiss and the way he held her to him even when their lips parted at last.

"I needed that Bon," she whispered as he sat her back down on the ground, his touch light as if she were something precious.

He didn't know how long she had been waiting for someone like him. Longer than four years. Even longer that her acquaintance with and subsequent crush on Kyo.

She felt that it was alright to tell him now how much she loved him. It was a mistake to overcomplicate it when she told him what she was up.

Opening her mouth, she began, "Bon…I have to tell you…"

Bontenmaru stopped her though with a finger to her lips, shaking his silver head as he said, "Don't tell me yet. Give this big stupid ape something to look forward to when he comes back."

She stared at him for a long moment, drinking in his features and that endearing grin and using it to overwrite the memory of him pushing her away. When she was satisfied that she would be able to call this moment up again in the hours ahead, she nodded.

"Good," he said, turning away so he could hurry and catch up with their friends before pausing again.

"By the way. When I get back. Do you wanna' see about making this thing between us legal?"

It was so unexpected and she almost started crying again as she whispered, "Yes."

"I'll hold you to that," he replied gruffly and she could tell that he was relieved at her answer. Had he actually believed that her answer would be anything else other than acceptance?

As she watched him walk away, she kept a smile on her face and allowed herself to dream about what was to come.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kyo observed the short but heated conversation Yuya had with Bon before jogging to catch up with him and noted out of the corner of his eye that his old friend had turned back. It didn't take a genius to realize that she had probably flayed the skin off of him verbally for the display he had just put on with Okuni.

When his wife caught up to him, he smirked and said, "You're too much of a romantic, woman."

"It's not my fault Bon is too dense to realize that Okuni-San is truly in love with him."

"I thought you weren't going to interfere?"

"That was when I was too worried about Ai-Chan and Ryu-Chan to fit anyone else's problem in my head."

He chuckled and said, "I'm surprised you bothered to help her. The two of you didn't get along at first."

"I don't like nursing grudges. Besides, she doesn't want you anymore and you're mine."

She emphasized the last word and he grinned as he replied, "My, my….pretty possessive now, aren't we?"

Yuya fixed a determined green eye on him and said, "I won't let you go again, Kyo."

As if it had been her fault that they were separated in the first place when it was his weakness that was the cause of it.

"I've no plans to go anywhere, woman," he said seriously, "And, in return, I want you to take care of yourself. No more running around and getting between warriors in the middle of a battle. I can talk a lot more hits than you can woman and our enemies will only get stronger from her on out."

"I'll be careful, Kyo," she replied.

While he believed that she was sincere in her agreement, he just couldn't shake the feeling that things were going to fall apart again.

"I'm going the check on the children," his wife said, hurrying to catch up with their offspring who were sticking close to Shinrei and chattering with both him and each other. Before long, she was conversing with the other man as well.

The Thousand Killer did his best to control his annoyance at the fact that the little ones were so attached to a man he only grudgingly respected and that his wife had forgiven him so easily. To distract himself, he opted to observe the group from behind.

Nothing was out of place. Bon, Akira, and Akari bickered with each other. Kyoshiro chatted with Tora while looking both tired and relieved at the same time. Kyo still felt as if he'd left parts out of his private conversation with Chinmei but Kyoshiro could deflect fantastically well when he wanted to and there hadn't been enough to pursue his suspicious with.

A few minutes passed while he kept an eye out and tried to understand why he felt as if they were being observed. He couldn't sense anyone and yet, even when they exited the long corridor that had followed the final gate, he _knew_ they weren't alone.

His apprehension continued to grow as they moved past another large room and the final corridor that let out into a spacious courtyard. He squinted against the sunlight, panning the expanse for signs of an ambush and staring suspiciously at yet another gate on the far side.

Kyo's companions spread out a bit as they examined this new location and Yuya fussed over the children, laughing at something they said and hugging them in turn. She was probably reassuring them that things would be alright now and he watched her for a moment, admiring the way the sun caught her hair. She was so animated that he temporarily put aside his feelings of being watched so that he could take note of the many expressions she produced.

Joy at being a mother. Tenderness towards her children. Relief at being out in the fresh air with her friends. But his favorite came when Aiko turned to look at him before tugging at her mother's sleeve and saying something that made his wife blush.

She brought verdant eyes up to meet his and he basked in the emotion he saw there.

Love. Naked and open. All for him.

He had something in common with Okuni. He was greedy for the person who held his heart. His want for her was overwhelming - his longing for her endless.

With just a look, he beckoned to her. Telling her without words that he would give her something nice if she would only stay by his side, stay where he could keep her safe.

As his Yuya took a few steps in his direction, Akari's question to him came back to mind.

What would he do if he lost Yuya?

Almost watching her die had torn him apart before but he was stronger now. They had a family together and even more things to live for.

And yet, he had known the answer. Akari had too.

 **He would burn the world down.**

Yuya was the control for his inner demon - the evil that lurked inside and was held at bay by virtue of her goodness. Her light. It always came back to her love for him.

He would get one more taste of her.

Surely it would be a crime against humanity if Bon were the only one to get some before they all faced probable death. He'd seen the satisfied look on the other man's face when he rejoined their group and knew that progress had been made. Kyo wanted Yuya's lips before anything else happened.

As she approached him, he could tell by the look on her face that the feeling was mutual and he smirked, waiting patiently for her to arrive.

That was when things went crazy.

He would likely never know what caught her attention and caused her to raise her eyes upwards but he took notice when she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at a point above his head. The expressive face that he so admired went white and moved from shock to fear and then hurt. Yuya in pain was something he could not bear to see and he strode towards her as she opened her mouth.

A name and a title that no longer applied to the living issued out from between her trembling lips and halted his advancement entirely.

"Nozomu Nii-San?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Finally made it to this point. Can't wait to write the next chapter and put a twist on what is one of my favorite parts of the manga.

Thanks again for taking the time out to read. I hope I didn't disappoint and I should hopefully have plenty of action and more rapid plot-development from here on out.

As always, please let me know your thoughts.


	46. Dark Twists and Heartbreak Part 1

**Thanks to:** **general zargon** (Glad you liked the BonKuni moment. I had to get in what I could before everyone parted ways. Writing about Bon running scared of little ol' Okuni is too much fun.), **lmamc** , **itsJestinerose** (Kyo and Yuya are one of the best couples ever and it's a pleasure to write about them. I hope I don't disappoint you with the next few chapters and thank you so much for the well wishes. ^_^), **DebyMU** (I happy the fluff was alright for you. Some sad things are going to happen and some things will follow the manga but I also want to change a few things too.), **Guest** (I love writing comedy so I'm happy the last chapter made you laugh.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Two**

 **Dark Twists and Heartbreak**

 **Part One**

Jet black hair that was longer than she remembered. A white cloak that flapped to and fro in the wind that blew from behind him. An expression that gave nothing away, not even recognition.

And yet, his eyes were fixed upon her.

Yuya stopped breathing. Stopped thinking. Stopped all semblance of movement. The life was being sucked out of her and she was helpless as she stared at the figure on top of the wall behind Kyo.

Her heart beat with rapid thumps that matched the cadence of her husband's footsteps as he reached her and turned to stare at Nozomu as well.

"Woman," that beloved voice intoned quietly.

She meant to turn towards him, to acknowledge her spouse because she knew that he was concerned for her. But her body refused to obey her. Her mind moved only as much as needed to lock her into a loop of fear and longing.

Nozomu was here and he was alive.

Nozomu wasn't supposed to be here and he definitely wasn't supposed to be alive.

Nozomu staring at her from the top of the wall.

Nozomu's body lying sprawled in the darkness, blood spreading across the floor while she fumbled over his severed arm.

It was a monster who stared back at her. She _knew_ it in her heart. But that organ still ached. _She_ still ached for her dear Nozomu Nii-San.

"Yuya," Kyo tried to get her attention again and Yuya finally found her tongue.

"I'm scared, Kyo," she said, without taking her eyes away from the figure perched above , half-worried that he would disappear if she looked away.

"It's not him. I _know_ it's not him. That this is a trick by the Mibu but…," she trailed off, humiliated at almost admitting that she still wanted it to be real. Who wouldn't want to welcome back their loved ones who had passed away in death?

Her vision blurred for a moment and she blinked to clear her eyes as she continued, " _Why_ do the Mibu hate me so much?"

"You're taking it personal. The clan thrives on manipulating and using the people they see as lesser than themselves."

 _Was_ she taking it too much to heart? If that was the case, then were so many of her most painful memories connected with the clan?

Her voice was accusatory as she shot back, "Then why do they keep hurting _me_? Why do they keep taking away the people _I_ love?"

She knew she was being childish, ranting about things that were part of a larger whole, while she was only a footnote. Of course, the Mibu weren't targeting her directly. Weak, emotional, only human - she barely even registered outside of her relationship with Kyo.

Yuya Shiina was no threat. But perhaps her brother had been? Isn't that why they had sent Kyoshiro to execute him?

In the back of a mind a hazy memory surfaced. A much younger her and a serious Nozomu who bent down and murmured something in her ear. Secrets. They lay there in her earliest recollections, scattered about like gleaming gems that she couldn't quite touch.

If her brother had been a threat then, was he a threat now? Why bring back someone they had killed and set him up in the Mibu clan?

Because he was going to fight Kyo.

It was so clear - so inevitable - and panic surged.

"I can't watch this happen, Kyo," she said.

He was her husband and he knew her well. There was no need to clarify her meaning.

"I don't have a choice," he said and there was true regret in his voice.

"Please don't make me watch the two men I love most fight each other."

"Don't tie my hands like that, woman. You know I can't let him hurt you or the brats."

Ever practical Kyo. She should have hated him but she was incapable of that. Just as she was incapable of wishing Nozomu dead again when he was right there in front of her.

She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.

The temptation of a second chance called to her. Whispering lies into her ear that maybe she could have it all. Her husband, her children, and her brother. One big happy family.

Unrealistic. Impossible. But she wanted it anyway. So much that she felt sick with need.

"Stay away from him, Yuya," a voice from behind her said.

Akari, her friend.

"But he's my brother," she replied.

"Whatever he is now, trying to change what happened will only break your heart. Nozomu is no one to trifle with. Alive or…dead."

An unsubtle reminder of the unnaturalness of the situation. Even death could not protect people from the influence of the clan.

 _Poor, beautiful, noble Saisei – guarding the way to the man she adored while Saishi looked on. And then mocked in death for daring to love again._

She wanted to heed that warning but Nozomu spoke then and she hung on his words, tearing up even more because she hadn't heard his voice in so long.

"Yuya Shiina…correct?"

Her involuntary step forward was halted by the strength of Kyo's hands on her shoulders as she replied eagerly, "Yes! Don't you know me? I'm your sister."

"I…," he paused, brow furrowing in thought as his eyes shifted beyond her to her husband.

A change happened then. Violent recognition rippled across his features like the waves of the sea and then they began to morph. Like sinister spider webs, the skin around his left eye began to blister and pucker, pulling his eyelid back until a disturbing amount of eyeball was exposed. The resulting effect was a horrific burn mark that marched up and down across Nozomu's once handsome face.

His other eye lowered into a sinister glare of hate and the light of madness came on in both irises. Malevolence, pure and focused washed over the two of them and Kyo thrust her behind him as her brother started to laugh. Dark and wild, the sound of someone unhinged.

"I knew it," her husband muttered in irritation and she wondered what he meant as her brother spoke again.

This time, there was neither hesitation nor bewilderment in his tone as he tried to place the two of them. Instead, a voice that was Nozomu's and yet not, said maliciously, "I know _exactly_ who you are. You are the woman who spreads her legs for Kyo and therefore my enemy as well."

Yuya backed away, terrified of this version of her brother. Whoever was inhabiting his body, it wasn't anyone she knew or wanted to know. The sheer evil of his aura and the hatred that rolled off him in waves was near paralyzing. The only other person she'd ever met who had such an intense presence was Kyo and the fact that she could draw such a similarity meant they were facing a completely different class of fighter from their previous enemies.

That bulging eye was affixed to Kyo as he said sarcastically, "What? No happy greeting for your old nemesis?"

"Only if that greeting involves my sword in your gut old man. How many times do I have to kill you before you get the memo that you aren't stronger than me, Nobunaga?"

Yuya expected Kyo's snide comment to wipe the smile off Faux-zomu's face but he only laughed harder as he replied, "Still the same old cocky brat. How I've craved the anticipation of battling with you. You'd keep coming back to fight too if you had been killed off in your prime by a mere child."

She gave a start. At first, she hadn't registered the name Kyo used but it was one she had heard from infancy. These days it was used to terrify children. Behave poorly and the cruel demon king, Oda Nobunaga, would come back from the grave to punish you. Quickly, she did the math in her head of how old Kyo would have been at the time of the infamous nobleman's death and was awed when her mind came back with the number six.

Green eyes drifted back to Kyo's back, tracing the symbol for Yin and Yang as she wondered just how powerful he was. At six she had only cared about having food to eat and playing with the animals around the village since she didn't have any friends her age.

 _'At six, your husband was killing legendary warriors.'_

She could see why Oda had nurtured such a powerful grudge.

"Speaking of children…," that malicious gaze drifted over Aiko and Ryu and stared at them contemptuously.

"I see you were building your own legacy after cutting mine short. Looking upon your son, I find myself even more annoyed at seeing the spitting image of you when we fought at Honnoji Temple."

That the wicked being before them would dare to lay eyes on her children was more than she could endure and her motherly instincts reared up immediately. Yuya found the strength to take her eyes off him at last and marched over to her offspring, positioning herself in front of them to keep them out of sight.

Turning back toward Nobunaga – she couldn't bear to think of him as Nozomu – she fixed him with her most ferocious glare, challenging him to reference her babies a second time.

"Such a fierce woman you chose, Kyo," he said with an amused tone, observing her movements with eyes that missed nothing.

"Then again, I don't think a weak female could handle you. Is that your type then, woman?" his gaze drifted back to her directly and assessed her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

"Do you like strong men with bloodstained hands who can show you who's in charge?"

He drew his tongue over his lips and she had to stifle a shudder of disgust, reminding herself that battle was every bit as much about psyching out your opponent as it was about who the strongest fighter was. And Nobunaga was trying to get inside of Kyo's head using her. How much had the Mibu told him about their relationship - what Kyo had given up for her sake? Was she going to be used against her husband again?

Yuya called to mind her promise to Kyo to be careful. No more running out in front of people to stop them from killing each other. She was twenty now, a woman grown, and not a headstrong sixteen-year-old who would only make her husband's job harder by being reckless. Glancing at his back, she knew that he was burning up inside and hoped that he didn't give Nobunaga the satisfaction of seeing his angry face.

Someone stepped up next to her and she was relieved to see Kyoshiro in her peripheral vision. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her such a soft reassuring smile that she relaxed a little in return. Yuya told herself that she shouldn't worry too much. She was surrounded by powerful companions and having the former assassin here was like having another Kyo to watch her back.

Kyoshiro was both her friend and her brother and would never allow harm to come to her. He was one of the few people she trusted implicitly.

Nobunaga took all of this in with a smirk on his lips that made her uneasy. He took a step forward and dropped from the top of the wall, landing nimbly on his feet about six yards away from Kyo. Tenrou was out of its sheath in a flash and Kyo radiated bloodlust.

She expected him to address her spouse again but, to her surprise, he ignored Kyo entirely and continued speaking to her.

Looking past the Thousand Killer as if he didn't exist, he said silkily, "Ah, I see how it is. You like strong men, but perhaps you also like the brotherly type too."

All it took was a blink and then Nobunaga was gone and Nozomu was there again, staring at her in surprise as he looked from her to Kyoshiro.

"Yuya? It _is_ you. But…," he stared at the man next to her in dismay, "Why are you here with _him_ of all people?"

His voice was bewildered. Hurt.

 _Why are you here with the man who killed me in the first place?_

How easily he could hurt her. She felt low – traitorous - and had to fight the automatic urge to throw off the same hand that had comforted her just moments before.

Her weakness was out in the open and Nobunaga – or was it Nozomu, she couldn't be sure at that moment – offered her a way out of her torment.

He raised his hand and held it out towards her, beckoning his beloved little sister.

"Come to me, Yuya. I'll keep you safe. Kyoshiro will only betray you like he betrayed me. I'll even watch out for the children you had with Kyo," his voice was honeyed, hypnotic.

 _Do as I say and I'll pardon you for the sin of forgiving Kyoshiro and moving on with your life._

"I…," she wanted to tell him that she would do anything to have him back but the wrongness of the situation stopped her.

His invitation didn't include Kyo. What would become of her husband if she chose her sibling over him?

Without hesitation, the answer came to her. It would break his heart. And then he would kill Nozomu again because he would not accept her putting another man before him. She was _his_ just as much as he was hers.

She stared at that proffered hand for a long minute, wishing that he wasn't asking her to betray the man she loved in order to have him back.

Oddly enough, it was his nails that snapped her out of foolishly voicing her thoughts and giving him more ammo to use against her. Instead of flat and neatly trimmed, they were long and pointed - a wild beast's nails. The hand of a demon was being offered to her.

Nozomu was dead and this was no longer her strict, fastidious, and loving brother.

Hardening her expression, she declared boldly, "My place is at my husband's side and your place is no longer among the living...no matter who you are right now."

In an instant Nobunaga was back and his voice was sardonic as he said, "Pity. And here I was offering you a chance to have your brother back."

"I don't believe for one second that you would be so kind. You obviously have access to some of his memories and would know that Nozomu has no reason to side with the people he ran away from. And even more so when you consider the fact that they sent Kyoshiro here to get rid of him. In fact, nothing about you seems sincere except your desire to fight Kyo. If you've been waiting so long to kill him, why are you wasting time on me? This reeks of…," she paused as an epiphany struck and whirled around to look at the two-leaved doors on the other side of the courtyard.

"…A diversion," she finished just as the portal opened and soldiers poured through in a stream that seemed as if it would never end. There were still men waiting inside the door while the frontrunners fell into formation, forming a wall of masked bodies that waited for orders from Nobunaga.

As if it had been scripted ahead of time, her friends immediately moved until they were arranged around her and the children in a ring. Shinrei stayed close to the twins and Kyo took his place behind her, facing Nobunaga.

Kyoshiro made to join the ring but Kyo stopped him, turning his body just enough so that he could give him a stern red eye.

"Stay with the woman. I don't need to explain why."

He really didn't. The ex-assassin was neck and neck with her husband in strength. He was acknowledging that the other man was the person most capable of guarding his greatest possession – his family.

Her friend hesitated for a moment - blue eyes scanning the courtyard briefly - and Yuya got the feeling he was searching for something in particular. His body tensed up so minutely that she almost missed it and then he was relaxed again and nodding his agreement with Kyo's decision.

Around her, Benitora and the members of the Shiseiten conversed among themselves. Meanwhile, Yukimura, stretched before fingering the tattered edges of his torn clothing. Akari had administered treatment to him back at the fifth gate after his conversation with Shinrei and Hotaru about "snakes" and Yuya smiled a bit as she recalled how that had gone down.

 ** _*Begin Flashback*_**

 _As usual, the shaman had some sort of mischief planned when he approached the other man and offered his services. Unfortunately, Hotaru ruined whatever he was plotting by bluntly stating that Akari's payment was Yukimura's sex life._

 _Naturally, Akari had fussed at him while the dense blonde said, "But that was what you asked from Shinrei. I thought you must have changed your fee."_

 _The look the violet-eyed man shot him would have incinerated a normal person on the spot. Hotaru ignored it completely and the shaman had looked positively ill as Yukimura began a very long tale of his sexual exploits. He started from when he was thirteen and encountered the lovely twins Choko and Chiyo and continued for some time until he reached age sixteen and Akari called a halt._

 _"I think you might actually be a worse womanizer than Kyo. Don't you ever think of anything but sleeping around?" he asked irritably as he started healing him._

 _Yukimura shrugged unapologetically and said in all seriousness, "There are lots of things I like to do but heaven is nestled between a woman's breasts and paradise lies between her thighs. No other fruit is as sweet. And no other flower as divine."_

 _Akari had fallen into uncomfortable silence, apparently unsure how to respond to such a pure and poetic form of lust. In the end, he simply finished his work on the nobleman before moving away, leaving Yuya to wonder if the shaman would ever truly understand what made the relationships between men and women tick._

 ** _*End Flashback*_**

"So, are we going to institute the usual deal?" the shaman asked cheerfully, snapping Yuya back to the present.

"Depends on how strong they are," Bon replied with a grin.

"These soldiers are a different class entirely," Akira said thoughtfully.

"There's another hall and then four doors to get to the castle through that door," Hotaru said, on a completely different subject as usual.

"Can you pay attention to the task at hand for once, idiot," this was from Shinrei.

"What's the "usual deal"?" asked Benitora.

"Oh, we all have a standing wager between us Shiseiten. Whoever scores the least number of kills has to do the bidding of the other three members. Naturally, as the person who can both heal and boost the power of everyone else, I'm the most valuable member."

"And naturally these services come with a fee," the silver-haired man said in resignation.

"But of course," Akari grinned malevolently and Yuya could see his open dislike for Shinrei. She was still trying to figure out if he was hostile towards the other man because he was so quintessentially Mibu or because he held him responsible for tearing Kyo's family apart.

Shinrei sighed and looked over at Bon, having ascertained that he would get the most direct answer to any question he might have from the oldest member of the Emperors.

"Do I even want to know?" he asked.

"Healing means he claims two-thirds of your kills and a power-up nets him half."

Silver brows shot up as he said, "But that means Akari always comes out on top."

Bon heaved his massive shoulders nonchalantly and said, "It's fine as long as you aren't the loser."

"You realize that you are making a joke out of risking your lives? As the guards of Onmyouden castle, these warriors are in a completely different class from standard foot soldiers."

Another shrug from Bon followed that statement and he replied, "Gotta' have fun while you're still alive. We're the Shiseiten. When we're together, nothing can stop us."

The younger man looked as if he wanted to say more but Hotaru broke in with, "You're just scared of losing, Shinrei."

Golden eyes hardened and Yuya watched in fascination as his entire demeanor changed at being challenged by his younger brother and he said, "I fear nothing and I'd never lose to you anyways, Keikoku."

 _'The power of sibling rivalry,'_ she thought in amusement.

However, her amusement was short-lived as Nobunaga's evil aura flared up again, drawing her eyes back towards him.

Now that his army was in place, he had no interest in her at all and the fight began far more simply than she expected from a man like him.

The white cloak was thrown off, revealing black armor over a similarly-colored robe and hakama. Raising the hand that he had used to beckon to her, he repeated the action with a single crooked finger towards Kyo this time and she could feel her husband's anger heighten at the insult.

"If you're going to chase me from the grave for your usual beat down, you can get you butt over here and start the fight yourself, geezer," he spat. 

Demon Eyes Kyo danced to no one's tune and Nobunaga laughed in response.

"Some things never change and since you ask so politely…," he let the words trail off before disappearing.

There was a split-moment of tension amongst the members of their group and then he was there again, swinging his sword down towards Kyo, who blocked the attack with Tenrou. The two blades met with such force that she could feel the power of the blow in her bones and her feet shifted on the ground.

Looking down at her children to see their reaction, she was unsurprised to see Ryu watching his father's battle keenly. Aiko, on the other hand, was ignoring the battle entirely and staring at Kyoshiro with a look of consternation.

"Are you alright, Ai-Chan?" she asked and those red eyes looked at her, then through her.

A slight feathering at the back of her mind told her that her child was reading her emotions before responding.

"Kyoshiro Ji-Chan has an oni face."

Yuya had no idea what she meant and Aiko, seeing her confusion, clarified by saying, "He's going to do something bad."

Since she was fully aware of his past life, she interpreted it to mean that her friend was preparing himself to take lives once again.

Bending down and gathering her daughter even closer, she attempted to reassure her by saying, "He's a lot like your father in some ways, Ai-Chan. But he's going to be fighting for our sake. Please don't worry."

The child's uncertain expression remained unchanged and she sighed, wishing that there was a way she could transfer her trust in Kyoshiro's motives to her little girl. The two of them had taken down any number of villains over the years and spent many nights around the campfire, talking long and late about their dreams for the future.

She would get Kyo back and they would find a way to live their life together on their terms instead of the Mibu's.

He would rescue Sakuya and turn his deadly hands to making medicine to help people.

Both just wanted happiness with the person they loved.

They had so much in common that she couldn't help but love and trust him. Poor, sweet Kyoshiro had been born into circumstances beyond his control. And she desperately wanted him to achieve his dreams as a reward for being such a good friend and companion in her darkest times

Only later would she understand what a grave mistake it had been to re-interpret and dismiss Aiko's misgivings.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Betrayal" was such an ugly word.

There was no pretty way to wrap it up or rebrand what he had to do. And the time to enact his own treachery had come at long last. The previous king was watching him, as well as Hishigi, and he knew that he could no longer put it off.

Like a dark blot on his thoughts and feelings the former was there, nestled in the back of his head. A whispering voice that urged him to come home and take his rightful place as king while he dangled Sakuya before him as bait.

The latter was there in the shadows, right on the edge of his senses but ready and waiting to make things happen. It didn't take much analysis to conclude that he was behind the soldiers currently keeping the rest of the group occupied and Nobunaga's reappearance at the exact time. This entire set up was meant to be an opening for him specifically and Hishigi would ensure that the king's wayward son was returned - at all costs.

Although their voices were low, in the background he heard the exchange between Yuya and her daughter and fought the urge to beg his dear friend to listen to her child. Was it not often said that children could speak the truth most plainly? And Aiko could see things even more clearly than most because of her gift.

She saw him for the demon that he was.

His commitment to see things through to the end slipped momentarily and he felt exposed for the sham friend that he was. But, with an iron will, he quickly gathered his composure back. Now that both men were observing him, he no longer had the luxury of free ideas - dreams of what might be or what could have been. As the king's chosen successor, his dedication must not be questioned and so he filled his mind with dark thoughts and evil deeds.

 _'I'm going to hurt both you and Kyo,'_ he whispered to the blonde woman mentally.

 _'I'm going to abuse your trust and make you hate me."_

Kyoshiro the medicine peddler - who laughed and joked around with Yuya and cuddled his niece – was packed away and Kyoshiro the assassin took his place. And with the arrival of his alter ego came the single-minded focus that made him so very, very good at what he did. If Kyo flirted with Death, then he was her most ardent lover and her most devoted supplier of souls. In the end, he was a man who had more blood on his hands than even the infamous Thousand Killer and he turned assessing eyes towards the battle, calculating his next move.

In the old days, he would have run Yuya through and gently broken the necks of Kyo's children – administering death as quickly and painlessly as possible. Taking away someone's family was the most efficient way to break them and he was acutely aware of the fact that the means to ruin Kyo yet again had been handed to him. The same trust that both he and the other man adored in Yuya was what simplified his job.

However, his mission was not to kill anyone this time. He had a personal interest in Yuya and the king wanted to leave the two little ones alive because of what they were.

The goal was to separate Yuya from the rest without Kyo noticing until it was too late. He focused on that and refused to remind himself of why that was his aim, lest the king pick up on his plan.

 _'Easier said than done,'_ he thought to himself.

His old friend's senses were nothing short of amazing. The air tingled with the breadth of his perimeter, which he kept extended to encompass his family even though he was duking it out with Nobunaga at the moment. Normal people wouldn't notice it but Kyoshiro could feel it on his skin, a thousand little pinpricks of sensation. He knew that there wasn't a single beat of Yuya's heart or a breath she took that Kyo was not aware of.

Maintaining such a wide field would have been exhausting, even for him, but the other man had a well of ki that was near bottomless. If he didn't need to get around that particular obstacle, he would have taken a moment to pat himself on the back at his choice of friends. A Kyo who had full access to the power gifted to the True Mibu would be unstoppable.

As it stood, there were only two ways to break his old companion's sensory field. The most effective way would be to knock him completely unconscious. The ground heaved beneath his feet and he positioned himself more firmly in front of Yuya as he watched Nobunaga duking it out with Kyo. The two were trading blows and special attacks so quickly that only a mortal with extraordinary senses or a member of the Mibu clan would be able to follow all of it.

The black aura around the Demon King was matched by the equally dark one his opponent emitted. Getting close to either of them with enough power gathered to knock the red-eyed warrior out was a fool's errand that was destined to end in failure.

Option number two was to move Yuya further away from Kyo and, considering how closely her husband kept tabs on her, that too was doomed to fail. He would know the moment she left his sphere of influence and not even Nobunaga would be allowed to get in the way. Not to mention, the other fighters were taking on a literal army behind him.

The two obvious solutions were out and he grit his teeth, annoyed at the obstacles to his plans. He could make number two happen if he had a distraction of some sort. Another powerful fighter who could perhaps team up with Nobunaga against Kyo. He couldn't do it himself or the game would be given away immediately and he would be faced with an enraged Kyo and his other friends as well, who would not take kindly to Yuya being abducted.

If there was one thing he knew about this group, it was that the Thousand Killer was not the only thing that held them together. Yuya was just as precious to them, doubly so because she was a regular human and therefore easily killed if they let down their guard.

As he assessed his future enemies one by one, he saw a flash of pink and, like a bolt of lightning, inspiration struck. As if he were watching a play unfold, he recalled the conversation he had observed back at the Hell gate.

Akari had been worrying that they would cast him out because he was a spy for Hishigi. What was it he had said? Hishigi would know whatever he knew because of the thing beneath his glove that he was constantly rubbing at. The pieces of the next phase of his plan came together easily. The shaman was powerful but terrified that his former master would control and use him against his friends.

He could use Akari to contact the Elder and perhaps distract Kyo.

Casting his gaze about, he located the general area where Hishigi was – in the deep shadows and behind a pillar on the far eastern side of the yard - before glancing down at Yuya to make sure her attention was still on Kyo's battle. Ryu was similarly engrossed which was good but Aiko was still staring at him and he could feel her mind touching his. Did she know that he was no longer alone in his head? Would she ruin things for him?

"Leave me be, Ai-Chan."

He ordered her to comply softly – dangerously – as he stared her down until she finally averted her eyes.

Even for her sake - as much as he cared about the child - he could not afford to deviate from his path and he could feel the approval of his sire at his perceived obedience.

Locating the shaman, who was staying out of the fray except when someone approached him for a heal or boost in power, he called his name loudly.

"Akari-San."

Violet eyes snapped to and examined him, probably wondering if he needed to be healed as well since it was now common knowledge that he was not sleeping well. No rest for the wicked and all that that entailed.

Beckoning the other man over, he asked as normally as possible, "Now that we are almost at Onmyouden castle, do you think that Hishigi can sense your presence?"

"Most likely," Akari replied cautiously.

"Is he spying on us, even now?"

The older man shrugged and said, "Who knows? It's possible."

"Then do you think there's a chance he might be nearby, controlling these solders?"

"Maybe…" Akari looked around and Kyoshiro noted the tension that crept into his bearing. The shaman was afraid. He could work with fear.

Softening his expression into one of sympathy, he said, "I know what it's like to be under someone else's thumb. Please forgive me for eavesdropping, but I overheard your conversation with Kyo and Yuya at the gate. How exactly do you think Hishigi will turn you against your friends?"

 _'Tell me how I can use you.'_

"It's this Medusa Eye attached to my hand. He can control me at will with it and I become someone else entirely. There is nothing I can't kill when I'm like that," he looked away, clapping a hand over the bulge beneath his glove, the very picture of vulnerability.

Kyoshiro hardened his heart but kept his gaze gentle, the very epitome of empathetic understanding as he said, "That's so cruel."

 _'You'll do quite nicely.'_

Hadn't it always been bandied about how odd it was that Yuan and Fubuki had pupils to carry on their techniques but Hishigi, one of the best swordsmen in the clan, had no one? If he was reading it right, that was because the Doctor's disciple had been trained in secret and was a human shaman no less. The least expected choice but a powerful one or else he would never have measured up to Hishigi's exacting standards.

"I can see why you would be afraid of Hishigi being here and close enough to activate the Eye. I imagine it would be an immense distraction to Kyo."

There it was, the request he wanted to make of Hishigi conveyed to the man himself via the link between servant and master. He could feel the hidden man stirring as his plan took root.

 _'Make it happen, Hishigi.'_

He could feel Aiko's eyes on him again and decided to get Akari away before he could be warned by the child. Yuya might not have understood the meaning of what her child saw but the violet-eyed man was another story.

In a show of comfort, he slung an arm over the shaman's shoulder and said, "Let's get away from the children and see if we can't think of a way to keep you in control of yourself. I think we're scaring poor Aiko with talk of Hishigi. You know how she feels about him."

"You're right. The guys should have this for the next minute or two. I've powered up almost everybody and we are closer to Yuya and the kids than anyone else if they need us."

"Good thinking."

Like a snake, Hishigi skirted the edge of the light and Kyoshiro knew he was gathering his ki to do as he'd asked since none of the Elders were inclined to ignore a request from their future king. With years of training under the dark man's belt, he knew none of his friends would pick up on the Taishirou's presence unless they knew to look for him.

"So, what did you have in mind, Kyoshiro?" Akari asked eagerly.

 _'Seeing what will happen when you finally cut loose.'_

"I have a few ideas," he said softly as he dropped his arm from the shaman's shoulder and pasted a contemplative look on his face.

"Yes," the other man leaned forward, eyes intent and ears attuned for what he would say next.

"However, before all of that. I have something else to say," he moved his gaze away from the shaman and stared into the shadows where Hishigi was, willing him to come forward. The Elder took the hint and stepped into the light and Akari's body jerked as if he had been slapped.

He turned angry eye's towards Kyoshiro and his ki flared as he raised his shakujo and spat out, "You _knew_ he was here, didn't you? Is this what you wanted to tell me?"

"Actually, no," he kept his voice light and pleasant, deliberately using a nonchalant tone to unnerve his companion and make him hesitate just long enough to refrain from alerting the others.

"I just wanted to thank you, Akari-San. Because of you, I can now push Kyo where I want him."

Bewilderment crossed those beautiful features for a moment and then his eyes slammed shut in pain. He staggered and moaned, dropping his staff with a clang and clutching at his pink head while Hishigi went to work transforming him into the warrior he needed him to be.

Sidling up close and placing a hand on the shaman's back to give the appearance of helping him to all outside observers, he allowed a cold smile to touch his lips. Akari's ki was rising exponentially and it was more than enough to draw the attention of the rest of their companion.

With the intuition of a man who had once made his living by tearing apart the lives of others, he knew that he would succeed yet again. By the end of the day, Yuya would be in his grasp and Kyo would hate him forever.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I'm officially laying claim to the title of "Faux-zomu" to refer to Nobunaga in Nozomu's body. =) I hope I didn't creep ya'll out or bore you with all of the plotting. Kyoshiro is a slick one but his heart is in the right place even if his actions are despicable. Next chapter is pure action and a healthy dose of drama.

Please, please let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions. I love hearing from my readers and it really encourages me to know people are still reading this story.


	47. Dark Twists and Heartbreak Part 2

**Thanks to: SapphireNova24** (So happy you like both of my stories. As to what will happen...you'll have to read below and see. ^_^), **lmamc** , **DebyMU** (Glad you enjoyed it. I am doing a combo of sorts with Nobunaga and Akari since, in the manga, Kyo easily defeated Nobunaga once he got angry enough and was in his true body. Since he is always himself in this story, I felt it would be weird if Kyoshiro could get Yuya away as easily. I am trying to finish this story without doing everything the same as the manga otherwise it will go on forever. Hopefully, you continue to be entertained by this fic.), **Guest** (Another chapter coming up. Enjoy!), **itsJestinerose** (You're welcome. :-]), **Azure** (I actually have a lot of fun writing about Bon and Okuni and it gives me practice writing different types of couples too. As for Yuya, I'm glad you could see that I was trying to make her a little more mature this time. I don't want to keep everything the same as in the manga to account for the time that had passed. Kyoshiro is going to hated for sure but he'll get his redemption in the end.), **kyoandyuya** (In my defense, from Chapter 38 on, it's been more light-hearted but I know how you feel. Also, don't worry too much about the kids getting hurt, at least not physically. We are almost in the home stretch to the end of this fic and the plot is mostly Kyo, Yuya and how they will take down the king from here on out.), **Yira** (I'm glad you enjoy the way I shake things up and thanks for catching the typo, I'll look in to it. Kyoshiro is being a bad boy but his heart is in the right place. Poor Akari is going to have a hard time and things will get worse before they get better but it'll all work out eventually.), **general zargon** (Writing about Kyoshiro being mean isn't easy but I'm happy you liked how it turned out. The biggest mistake many adults make is assuming that children don't have valuable input because of their age. There is some tragedy ahead but I think you'll enjoy where I take things in the end.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Two**

 **Dark Twists and Heartbreak**

 **Part Two**

They were so close. Onmyouden castle was right _there_. Which meant the king and the Taishirou were right there as well.

He was ready to finish this lifelong struggle of his against the Mibu clan and more than ready to fulfill his destiny to become the strongest. Once he was there, he could finally enjoy what he had – a wife who loved him, children who fascinated him, and the power to make sure he never lost them again.

After too many years and too many delays, he wasn't about to let Nobunaga get in his way. Nor was he willing to let go of the way he had tried to manipulate Yuya. Despite keeping his back to his wife while his old enemy conversed with her, he had known how she felt. Once upon a time, Nozomu had been her world - the brother who both loved and kept her safe in a village that was not kind to her. He himself hadn't been particularly nice when she found her brother's body lying still in their tiny house.

Did she have a flashback to that horrifying moment when she saw Nozomu again? The hope in her voice when she spoke his name had been painful to hear. Her longing was heart-wrenching. She so desperately wanted his return to be real and he had clenched his fists and let her speak for herself when Nobunaga made his offer using Nozomu's face and voice.

He understood all too well now what it meant to love someone so deeply that you would do anything to keep them. If Yuya died and he was given the chance to have her back, he would always choose her. No matter what happened and no matter what the cost was, he would never give her up again.

However, because she had taught him empathy, he did not interfere, merely stood at the ready and listened. Unlike that dark moment when she discovered Nozomu's body, he was moved by her pain and understood why she did not immediately reject the temptation set before her. Yuya needed to work the situation out in her head and he had not given place to the tiny voice of doubt that feared she would leave him for an imposter in Nozomu's skin.

When she boldly declared that her place was at his side, it was as if she had told him she loved him for the first time all over again. Kyo never tired of the many different ways in which she demonstrated her feelings for him and a sense of relief filled him.

Because she loved him, she chose him over her brother. He wanted to kiss her.

Even as the courtyard filled with enemies and Nobunaga tried to provoke him with his insulting invitation to strike first, he thought of what he would do when he was done.

Unlike his previous battles with the Mibu clan and their affiliates, he came out swinging with his full power from the get go. Part of it was because he was annoyed at the other man for trying to separate Yuya from him and the other reason was because drawing things out would only hurt her more. She didn't want to see the people she loved fighting each other to the death and his duels with Nobunaga would only end when the other man was dead. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could give her the comfort that she would inevitably need.

 _'You're getting soft, Kyo,'_ he told himself, smirking as his blade met that of his nemesis.

They had fought this battle so many times that he could do it with his eyes closed.

Cut, parry, thrust, dodge, and block. He knew Nobunaga and his fighting style well and even though his infestation of Nozomu's body had netted him a number of new moves, he was still the same person at his core. And Kyo had gained a great number of things to fight for. Losing was no longer an option because to lose was to leave his loved ones vulnerable.

Four years prior, he probably would have had to push himself harder against the other man and now he wondered if Nobunaga had always been this easy and predictable.

Blow for blow. Step for step. Speed for speed. Darkness for darkness. Kyo matched his enemy every step of the way and within their heated exchange he found himself neutralizing and even hard countering the fallen nobleman's attacks. The longer they fought the more he started seeing a pattern.

Usually he overwhelmed his opponent with the power of his techniques but there was more to the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school than that. The ability to completely nullify attacks was also a part of it. In fact, it was what made Kyoshiro such an annoying opponent. Although both of them utilized the same school to fight, they were at opposite ends of the spectrum in how they used it. His way of fighting focused on conquering whereas the younger man focused on softening and dissipating his enemy's attacks completely. Muramasa had drummed the nature of the school into his head over and over again.

Yin and Yang. Darkness and Light. Negative and positive energy. If you must know one, it behooves you to learn the other to achieve the full power of the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school. To unlock his own potential.

As he battled Nobunaga, his mind started going down a different path. Could he negate the other man's power? Find a way to save his body and return Yuya's brother to her?

He frowned.

That was dangerous thinking. Too close to playing with life and death the same way Fubuki and the rest did - even if it was for a good cause.

But the thought remained and Nobunaga only spurred it on when he started talking - trying to distract and cause him to slip up because the fight was so very close.

"He's still here you know."

Kyo knew exactly to whom he was referring but he replied anyways, "Who?'

"Your woman's brother. He's been stirring ever since I saw her."

"Is that so?" he responded, carefully keeping his tone bored.

"Yes. You know, Fubuki and Hishigi said that they actually had a hard time merging me into this body. They had to erase a lot of what was already there because he resisted so much, even in death. Of course, he was no match for me but I like where we are now - the strongest shaman paired with the greatest warrior to ever walk the earth. It's fitting don't you think?"

Kyo dodged backwards to avoid the attack that followed that statement as he absorbed the information.

So Nozomu wasn't completely gone yet? The idea of saving him on behalf of his wife gleamed in front of him yet again. The hint for another technique was there, half-formed but tantalizing as it winked and beckoned to him from recesses of his mind.

Not all of the finishing moves of the school were intended to overwhelm. What was the next attack he was supposed to learn again? Muramasa had gone over the first two in more detail and said he only knew up to the third one which was the ultimate in defense. The ability to return everything to nothingness, wasn't it?

Grumbling under his breath about cryptic, metaphysical mumbo jumbo and old men who couldn't be straight with him - he landed on his feet before finally registering Nobunaga's grandiose claim of being the best fighter.

Raising a brow in disbelief, he replied, "The greatest warrior, you say? And my woman says _I_ have an ego. Last I checked, you're sitting at 3 to 0 in my favor, old man."

"That might be so, but not even death can stop me and you have gotten weaker while I was gone. To think the great Demon Eyes Kyo would saddle himself with a woman and children. You disappoint me, Kyo."

"Aw man! And to think, I've been living my life just to please a crusty old fart who just won't stay dead," he replied in a voice laden with sarcasm.

"I should have gotten your permission to move on before I killed you the last time."

"Your sarcasm hasn't improved," his opponent said drily, raising his ki along with his sword and killing intent.

Those dark eyes shifted ever so slightly beyond Kyo and he knew that Nobunaga was going to aim for his family next. It had been a poor choice when Hotaru tried it and it was still a poor choice now.

As the other man intoned words beneath his breath, the Thousand Killer increased his own ki in response.

"Tenma Ryoga Koran!" the Demon King yelled before doing exactly as Kyo predicted and summoning three apparitions who headed straight for his family.

There was no fear at the sheer amount of killing intent in that attack although it was enough to stop the heart of a regular human or even a low-level member of the clan. Rather he simply stepped into its path.

Just one step, then one breath and Suzaku arose from Tenrou on a brilliant plume of crimson flames, shrieking wildly. Kyo was actually quite proud of this incarnation of the firebird. It was a far larger and more savage manifestation of his attack and served as proof that his abilities were only increasing.

The wind from its wings slowed the apparitions as it ascended majestically, hovering for half a second to show off its glory before flying forward with deadly intent. Grasping one of the bony phantoms in each of its talons, it crushed them without slowing before its beak opened and closed around the last one, tearing it to shreds on the way to Nobunaga.

He saw shock in those eyes and smirked, knowing that the other man was finally realizing that his overconfidence in the strength of Nozomu's body was going to cost him the battle.

His enemy raised his sword, cloaking himself in a shadowy aura and bracing his feet apart to attempt to withstand the hit. With a rage-filled cry, Suzaku connected and a brief struggle ensued while Nobunaga tried to fight off the phoenix.

 _'Oh no you don't,'_ Kyo thought, pouring even more power into the attack.

All thoughts of trying to preserve Nozomu's body for Yuya's sake took a back seat to putting his enemy out of commission. In fact, he didn't think about anything else. Not the army behind him or what Kyoshiro was doing. Yuya and the children were in his sphere of awareness but he sensed no obvious distress and so he did not focus on them.

Tenrou pulsed in his hand.

A warning that he ignored entirely.

His need to dominate the battle came roaring to the forefront and locked him into a pushing match - his ki versus Nobunaga's. The two men wrestled briefly for control of the battlefield but Kyo refused to back down. Inside of him, darkness unfurled and offered even more power to him. It was heady - addictive - and pleasure consumed him when the Demon Lord's defense broke.

He was engulfed by Suzaku as it carried him backwards and carved a groove into the ground were his feet were dragged along. With an ominous crack, the attack slammed his opponent into and then through the wall behind him.

In the distance, he heard the howl of a wolf and a sense of wrongness came over him. However, he saw no reason to feel perturbed. He hadn't killed Nobunaga, which meant that Nozomu was not gone as well, and his family was still where he had left them. If worse came to worse, he could have Akari heal whatever damage he inflicted on the other man.

As his opponent slowly pulled himself through the hole his body had punched through the bricks and glared at him - blinking blood out of his eye from a cut on his forehead - Kyo readied his sword.

"One of these days, the idiots who fight me will get it through their heads that bringing my woman into every fight doesn't actually create openings for them. It just pisses me off," he said, keeping his tone casual.

Along the edges of his perimeter, something stirred. It was faint and not particularly strong, thus he did not view it as important enough to take his eyes off of his enemy. Kyoshiro was next to Akari and the two of them were close enough to Yuya to keep her safe. His on-again, off-again friend treated her like family and the crossdressing shaman was attracted to her kindness. He had no reason to doubt either their ability or their desire to watch over her.

Kyo was so close to victory that he could taste it. As his ki rose, his desire to preserve Nozomu's body started to wane, nibbled away by his inner demon as it demanded more.

More blood. More power. More everything. So close. They were getting so close to the king and thus he was justified in destroying anyone or anything that got in the way. But to do that, he _needed_ the power. Desired it. Craved it. In his hand, Tenrou hummed violently in reaction to his thoughts.

Nobunaga saw his face and answered his bloodlust with his own as he stepped forward. A tense silence fell and the wind blew across the top of his head, soft as a sigh.

 _'Fool.'_

He heard the scornful word uttered clearly in his mind.

And then everything fell apart.

That presence dancing along the edge of his senses solidified into something very real and very powerful and he turned his gaze sharply to stare in its direction. It all happened at once.

He barely had time to register that Akari was acting strangely while Kyoshiro helped him, no doubt wondering what was wrong. He had bigger things to worry about, namely the man he saw standing to the side beyond his friends.

Hishigi.

The moment Kyo's gaze fell on the sword at the Elder's side, Tenrou reacted violently to the superior threat. His hand clenched around the hilt and grew hot. He tried to move it but it wouldn't obey and he knew without being told that Muramasa's cursed blade was trying to take over. He hadn't even been able to sense Hishigi's presence but Tenrou had, hadn't it? And he had spurned the warning.

Tenrou would only obey a master it felt was worthy of its power. Otherwise it would seek out the strongest opponent it could find and use his body to fight until there was nothing left.

Like wildfire, the heat from his blade spread through his body and he watched in horrified fascination while the hand clutching his sword grew dark as the blood vessels beneath his skin began to burst. Without his permission, his ki began to rise and he saw Kyoshiro stiffen and turn to stare at him in shock.

Blue eyes took the entire situation in at a glance and his gaze hardened as he said, "You have to control your sword and your bloodlust, Kyo, or you'll kill Yuya."

"Easier said than done," Kyo wanted to reply snarkily, but talking required too much effort when he was fighting the rising tide of darkness that was trying to overtake his thoughts.

His entire arm was starting to turn an ominous red - the color of old blood - and the sounds of rushing wind and a howling wolf filled his ears.

 _'Obey.'_

The command was lodged in his head, demanding his submission. He felt as if he were floating as he took in the sight before him, his body locked into place while he struggled internally.

"Kyo," Yuya's voice was filled with concern and he glared at her, willing her to remain where she was even as she took a step forward.

Next to her, Aiko stared at him with wide, fearful eyes and he could see those tiny hands tugging at her mother's kimono, urging her to stay away. His astute little girl knew the danger and Ryu followed her lead, pulling at his wife's clothing to halt her progress.

Beyond Yuya, he watched as Kyoshiro was shoved away with a single, black-gloved hand. The ex-assassin stumbled a few feet and stared at Akari with calculating eyes before turning to look at Hishigi.

The entire situation was wrong. His old friend should have been surprised and on guard at the shaman's behavior but instead he didn't move to intercept Akari at all as he bent down to pick up his shakujo from the ground. The air around the shaman was completely different and when he turned around, Kyo was disturbed by the blank look in his eyes.

Many times, they had seen Akari's warrior face - deadly serious and intense but always fleeting, always hidden behind the guise of a vain and carefree female. To see it on full display now and to feel the strength of his killing intent just made the entire situation even more surreal.

Hishigi raised a black gloved hand to his mouth in a thoughtful expression and those violet eyes narrowed in response. Whatever was being communicated between master and servant, Kyo found out shortly afterwards when Akari's gaze sharpened on him and his stance shifted easily into an offensive one.

Perhaps alerted by the strong emotions in the area, Aiko turned to look back at the shaman, then Hishigi and her body froze. Like a tidal wave, her fear slammed into him and drew the attention of those emotionless eyes.

Like a good warrior, the shaman was programmed to eliminate any and every obstacle that could interfere with his attacks and he knew full well what someone with Aiko's abilities were capable of. Kyo's heart began to pound in his ears as he connected the dots and realized what was about to happen.

He glared at Kyoshiro, urging him to see and understand before it was too late. Even if the other man was going to do nothing to stop him from being attacked, he should understand that Aiko was an innocent. That there some places he should not go if he was determined to betray him again.

His panic must have showed on his face because blue eyes met his and he saw the former assassin shift a hand to his sword.

"Move!" he briefly broke free of Tenrou's influence and pushed the word out from between his lips, irritated when it hovered in the air weakly before being carried away on the wind.

Still, as weak as the command was, Yuya heard him and broke free of Aiko's thrall. Whirling around to see what was going on, she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder at the same moment Akari moved forward.

Not a single one of them expected the blistering speed at which he moved and yet, Kyo watched all of it happen in slow motion.

In order to keep her promise not to interfere in his battles, Yuya had kept her distance from Nobunaga even though he tempted her with the idea of having Nozomu back. However, she couldn't do the same when it came to protecting their children. She was a person who cared dearly for the people around her – it was who she was at her core and why he loved her. And because she loved so deeply and so strongly, she would do anything for her family.

Even though she couldn't match Akari's speed, she saw and understood the situation in an instant, enough to shift her weight towards Aiko. Her hand flexed and sent the child sprawling. There was no time to be gentle or explain why because everything transpired in the next breath.

Softly. So softly that he almost thought he was imagining it, he heard her voice.

"Sorry, Kyo."

And then her body jerked backwards as the pointed end of the shakujo entered her stomach where Aiko's head had been and exited from her back.

The sight of Yuya being impaled. The smell of her blood in the air. Her softly uttered apology for being unable to keep her promise not to get in the way. It was as if the nightmare of four years past had come back to haunt him.

His senses were overwhelmed and her name was torn from his throat.

"Yuya!"

His voice, Kyoshiro's voice, and one more - all calling the name of the woman who was vital to each of them in her own special way.

Even though he could feel the influence of his sword spreading further – it had claimed almost his entire right side – he was able to crane his neck and follow the third voice to its source.

To his surprise, Nozomu – the real one this time – stood there. Nobunga was nowhere to be seen at the moment and his eyes were riveted to Yuya's body in shock as Akari jerked his staff free and allowed her to fall backwards.

Someone was crying and he realized that it was Aiko who was crouching over Yuya and pressing her hands to the grievous wound. Too little too late.

Ryu planted himself between his mother and sister, glaring murderously at Akari who looked at him as if he were no more important than an insect. And Yuya….

She stared up at the sky with green eyes that were rapidly losing their luster as she bled out. Her lips were moving but he couldn't hear what she was saying. All he could do was stare at the blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Enough," there was such authority the way Kyoshiro spoke the word that even Akari paused. The shaman looked towards Hishigi for direction and took a step back from Yuya and the children when the other man nodded his acceptance of the command.

Rapid steps carried the younger man forward until he stood over his wife, staring down at her with an expression that Kyo couldn't read.

"Poor Yuya-Chan," he said, half to himself.

"You weren't supposed to wind up like this. But it's not too late."

He kneeled and, pushing the little ones away with firm but gentle hands, scooped Yuya up and cradled her close. The twins made as if to follow him but he halted them with a look that promised dire consequences if they did.

Realization dawned that Kyoshiro was planning to take her somewhere else and Kyo fought even harder.

"Put her down, Kyoshiro!" he snarled, his voice thick from the combination of his struggle for control and the pain of seeing Yuya hurt.

"She doesn't belong to you!"

"She won't belong to anyone if I leave her here to die Kyo," the other man replied calmly.

There was a logic to his words. Akari was in no position to help her while under Hishigi's influence. And here he was, wresting against his own weapon who wanted control of his body in order to fight the strongest person available.

 _'Too weak,'_ the words came from within this time. Tenrou's critique of his abilities was becoming his own.

Still he remained stubborn. How could he possibly allow Yuya out of his sight? He'd only just found her again.

"Even so, I won't leave her at the mercy of the clan."

"Unfortunately, you don't have the strength to keep her. You'll have to come for Yuya when you finally learn how to control your sword, Kyo."

Kyo could tolerate his censure but the pity in his voice filled him with self-loathing.

 _'Kill them! Don't let them take what is yours,'_ Tenrou commanded as Kyoshiro turned his back on him and headed towards Hishigi.

 _'Kill them!'_ it ordered again as his other friends tried to intervene, only to be forced to a halt by a precisely aimed Mizuchi from his friend-turned-enemy again. He performed it so effortlessly - shifting Yuya to one arm and calling up the attack with the sword in the other hand. Even one-handed, he stopped the famed Shiseiten cold.

Akari brought up the rear and Kyo ground his teeth together as he realized that he was also losing a key member of their group. The shaman's abilities helped to keep them going and allowed them to push beyond their limits because they could always rely on him to heal them.

 _'Kill them,'_ Tenrou 's voice was starting to become his own, a manifestation of the evil that was ever present within him. Because of Yuya, he worked hard to control it. Without Yuya, his reasons to keep it in check began to erode.

Anger and sorrow dueled within him and he wondered if this was fate. He had never put much stock in such things but it seemed as if he were destined to lose Yuya again and again until he was strong enough.

 _'I will give you strength,'_ the seductive offer came from his sword.

Power in exchange for giving in and letting his weapon control him. Power to hold onto what was rightfully his. It was so tempting and the edges of his vision grew dark.

He heard the howling of a wolf – much, much closer now - and did not resist as hard this time when his ki rose without his permission. Tenrou was a part of him and knew all of his moves and the best way to tap into his strength.

Kyo's body was on fire by that time. He barely even noticed the looks of worry on the faces of the twins as they stared at him - caught between the man who was taking their mother away and their father who was changing into something else entirely.

His friends were calling his name but they were drowned out by Tenrou's howl as reality began to flee. He was just starting to see the image of a black sky and luminous blades of grass when the ground crumbled beneath his feet and he and the rest of his friends fell.

Down, down, and down some more into an abyss that felt endless.

Kyo came back to himself just enough to understand that he had been trapped yet again before darkness engulfed him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You should have killed him," Hishigi said the words tonelessly as he scanned the massive pit that had swallowed up his friends with his single eye.

The pitfall had been well set and brilliantly sprung. The Elder had waited until Kyo presented the greatest threat – the moment when Tenrou took over and would become the most problematic by using the power that Kyo himself hadn't even tapped into yet. And then he had eliminated all of their enemies in one fell swoop.

"Call it a bit of leftover weakness from my time spent among humans. Besides, he is still no match for me," Kyoshiro replied, looking down at Yuya and noting her unhealthy pallor.

"I suppose you want me to save Kyo's wife," there was the barest hint of resignation in Hishigi's voice and he grinned in response.

"I owe her, Hishigi. Besides, don't you want to find out how Aiko got her powers? I'm actually surprised you didn't try to get her back."

"If Subject A survives, I can always collect her at a later time. If not, I do not necessarily need her to be alive to learn more about her body."

The words were uttered so coldly and he was grateful that Yuya was out of it. In fact, it was probably best for her remain unconscious for as long as possible. The former king was still present and he was curious about why his chosen successor was so interested in this particular human. Unfortunately, bad things tended to happen when his creator took an interest in those weaker than him.

"I must confess that I am curious as to what she might have learned while in the company of Number 7," Hishigi said and it took Kyoshiro a moment to remember that "Number 7" was the designation he had assigned to Nozomu.

That caught the king's attention as well and Kyoshiro stifled a sigh as his master ordered him mentally, _'Bring her to me.'_

There was no help for it now and he held still as Hishigi ordered Akari to perform emergency aid on Yuya to ensure she would survive the trip to his lab. Staring at the shaman's blank expression, he felt that it was probably a small mercy that the other man was out of it as well. Otherwise, he would have been devastated to know what he had done to Yuya.

Even though he had gotten the results he wanted, he didn't care for how close he'd come to losing his niece and being put into a position where he had to hurry up and get Yuya away before she bled death. Putting her life in danger had never been a part of the plan and he didn't relish facing the bounty huntress when she woke up and realized that she had been stolen away.

 _'She'll probably hog-tie me and try to put a bullet in my behind,'_ he thought in amusement before it quickly turned to misery.

She was going to hate him when she was conscious again and that bullet would aim straight for his head.

"Is Akari going to stay like this?" he asked to distract himself from dwelling on the inevitable consequences of his actions.

"Currently, Number 13 is in the stage before full ascension as my Ashura and will remain there as long as I have need of his abilities. Although I control him by means of the Medusa Eye, I have not finished activating it as I am reserving that form for another time. This was enough to serve as a distraction, was it not?"

It was indeed. Kyoshiro had never known a human to move so fast and he suspected that things would have turned out very differently – and not in a good way - if the eye had been fully activated.

"Sometimes, I'm not sure what to make of you and your experiments, Hishigi," he said after a moment.

Hishigi's expression was as inscrutable as usual as he responded, "I do all things for the good of the Mibu."

Well, that much was true. The Doctor lived only for the clan and Kyoshiro decided that some things were best left in the dark.

Once Akari was finished, he stepped forward to head in the direction of the castle only to be brought to a halt by Hishigi's next inquiry.

"Do you require treatment, Kyoshiro-Sama?" he was brought up short by his use of that particularly respectful suffix on the end of his name. And then he recalled that his very presence here meant that he had accepted his role as the next Crimson King. It was best to get used to having subordinates now that he had cut ties with Kyo and friends.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he replied although it was a blatant lie.

His exhaustion hadn't only been from resisting the former king's call. He was still a member of the Mibu clan and subject to the Death Disease like the rest of them. Thus far, he hadn't exhibited any of the overt symptoms but he was in tune enough with his body to know that there was something off. There were little aches and pains that shouldn't have been there and which only worsened the more he fought.

"As you will, Kyoshiro-sama."

Did he detect a note of censure in that neutral tone? One could never be sure with Hishigi and he let it slide as the other man continued, "It is immaterial anyways. The king has asked me to prepare a more suitable vessel for you."

 _'What in the world does **that** mean?'_ he wondered, feeling a sense of foreboding as the two of them made their way back to his old home.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Whew! That was even harder to wright than the last chapter. Still, hooray for more plot advancement and things are going to keep snowballing until I can bring this bad boy to its conclusion.

As always, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think of the twists and turns I've made to the story.


	48. Old Secrets and Dungeon Crawling

**Thanks to:** **Yira** (I know there is a lot going on but it's going to be cleared up eventually. Sorry if it seems like Kyoshiro doesn't care, I explain that in the author's note below. As for why Tenrou was misbehaving, I'm not entirely sure Kamijyo-Sensei knew she was going to have it be the First king when she introduced it initially. I'm blending what happened when Kyo first came face-to-face with the wolf with his meeting the king. More explanations will come.), **DebyMU** (Hope I didn't give you too much of a scare. There's a lot more to come but I promise that there will be a happy ending. As for the comment about a vessel for Kyoshiro, it's my way of getting around the fact that he doesn't steal Kyo's body in this fic.), **lmamc** (I'll explain what Hishigi meant in the coming chapters.), **Azure** (All will be explained eventually and Yuya will be alright. See the note below about Kyoshiro.), **general zargon** (Glad you liked it and that there were minimal typos as I've been trying to knuckle down on those. I was worried that it would come out awkwardly because of changing around so many parts of the manga all at once. I can't wait to put Akari back to normal so he and Yuya can chill together again. I know he'll be really upset when he realizes what he did though. T_T), **Guest** (You are very welcome. Lots more to come. ^_^)

 **Author's note:** There have been a few comments about Kyoshiro being apathetic towards what is happening but you have to remember that he is now under constant scrutiny by the king at this point. He was that way too in the manga after taking Kyo's real body, very withdrawn to avoid giving away his plan until Kyo defeated him.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Three**

 **Old Secrets and Dungeon Crawling**

Muramasa was reading a collection of quotes from Confucius - one of three provided to him by the king – when the sound of a grate opening in the distance reached his ears.

He paused, tilting his head towards the disturbance, and listened as the person headed his way. Having long since ascertained that he was the only prisoner in the dungeon, he wondered who his visitor could be. The stride was rapid and heavy - male.

 _'Not my wayward niece then,'_ he deduced.

Since he doubted that the normal Mibu clan members even knew he was there, he surmised that it was likely one of the Four Elders. He didn't know much about the current fourth Elder, save that he was the son of Ian - who was now deceased due to her "lack of discretion" according the king. This knowledge had been imparted on the ruler's second visit to the dungeon to see if he had decided to repent of the sin of plotting to overthrow him. Naturally, Muramasa had refused and the king merely smiled and graciously offered to catch him up on current events. The former Taishirou was not at all impressed by his insincere show of mercy.

 _'Serve me once more and nothing will really change, you'll just be in a different kind of prison.'_

No, thank you.

He honestly couldn't imagine what business the son of his old friend would have with him when they had only spoken occasionally before he left. That left either Hishigi or Fubuki. Still, he had never known The Doctor to hurry anywhere and there was a certain amount of agitation in the footsteps approaching him that didn't match the eternally neutral scientist.

 _'Fubuki, then,'_ he thought, _'This is going to be interesting.'_

He sat back and picked up where he had left off, scanning the words of the great sage while he waited for the inevitable confrontation.

An eternity passed as the footsteps grew louder until they stopped in front of his cell. The intensity of Fubuki's stare was as powerful as a physical touch, confirming for Muramasa that his old friend was highly put out.

However, he didn't take his eyes off of the words in his lap as he said genially, "It's been a long time, Fubuki. How may I be of service?"

Refusing to give the other man his full attention would only annoy him and that was precisely why he did it. After muddling through the mess his brother-in-law had made of his own child's life, he was not particularly inclined to indulge the man's arrogance.

"You know exactly why I'm here, Muramasa."

The former Elder took his time answering, flipping a page in the book and scanning the next few lines before replying.

"Actually, I don't. You see, I'm finding it hard to wrap my mind around a lot of things. Like why I feel better than I have in years. Have you and Hishigi made actual progress on a cure for the Death Disease? And, if so, are you taking care of the people in the clan?"

He was not surprised that silence followed his questions and sighed heavily, closing the book and putting it aside before giving the white-haired man his attention.

"If you don't want to talk to me about the project, then fine, let's talk about the other things that don't make sense."

He fixed his brother-in-law with a hard stare as he continued, "Care to explain to me how _your_ child is now mine and _why_ she doesn't remember Hitoki?"

"That's what I'm here to talk about. I don't appreciate you confusing Tokito," Fubuki said.

" _I'm_ confusing her? Oh wait, that's right, you don't want me telling her the dirty secrets of the Mibu clan. We mustn't shatter the precious illusion of godhood and you don't want your failures trotted out in front of your little girl."

"You have no right to criticize the path we've chosen, Muramasa. Not when you gave it up to raise Kyo even though you knew he was nothing but trouble."

"I have every right to condemn what you've done. You erased Tokito's memories and convinced her that _I_ \- not _you_ \- was the one who abandoned her. It's like Hitoki never existed for her."

Even voicing it aloud made him feel sick and he searched Fubuki's face, looking for some sign of remorse, even a hint would do. Instead, all he got was a well-practiced stone face and he looked away in disgust. How quickly things escalated whenever they got on the subject of his poor sister. His sweet Hitoki who had been hidden away and stricken from record because of what she signified – a devastating blow to their claims of divinity.

"I'll not take the blame for your failures as a parent," he said softly.

"We all have our role to play," came the terse reply.

"Don't give me that nonsense. I'm not some low-level clan member nor have I taken leave of my faculties. I used to be right there next to you - hiding things from everyone and altering history for the greater good. What you've done…what you are _doing_ can't possibly end well."

It was like time had stopped. The two of them had exchanged similar words years ago when it became apparent that Hitoki wasn't going to get better and Fubuki arrogantly decided that her death was of no consequence because he could always resurrect her.

 _'Why shouldn't we control life and death? Are we not gods?'_

Except he hadn't been able to bring his sister back to life.

Muramasa had made his peace years ago with both their limitations as a people and Hitoki's death but it was clear Fubuki never had. Tokito's current condition was proof of that. It was like she had been meticulously crafted into a living, breathing manifestation of hatred and despair – her father's image, at least in spirit.

Physically though, she looked like a younger, boyish version of Hitoki and that added an extra level of cruelty to the situation. The way her husband and child were now…it would have broken his sister's heart if she were still alive.

The walls of his cell felt extra oppressive and he felt exhausted by the conversation already, as he asked, "Are you here to kill me for telling your daughter about her mother?"

Because there was no way to answer the question without coming off as petty, Fubuki avoided it entirely. He knew the other man couldn't tell him to stay away from Tokito, locked up as he was in the dungeon. And his niece would only get more suspicious the more the Elder insisted on her avoidance of her "father."

Instead of addressing his inquiry, the white-haired man said, "Tokito is fine as she is. Her strength is admirable and she wields your swords like she was born to them," the irony of the statement was not lost on either of them.

"There is no need to inform her of extraneous matters. You would do well to keep that in mind should she appear before you again."

 _'Keep your mouth shut or else.'_

The former Elder read his message loud and clear and shook his head in response as he asked, "What happened to you, Fubuki? Not just you but everyone else, too? Hishigi, of all people, is experimenting on children. Ian is dead. Tokito is nothing like the child I remember. And the king has deteriorated even more. You can't _possibly_ believe that supporting him in his mad schemes will fix anything."

He willed his old friend to see that they were headed for catastrophe as long as the former king remained in charge. Although he had raised Kyo with the ultimate goal of fighting the king and restoring balance to the Mibu clan, he had never given up hope that his friends might support him someday.

Fubuki's gaze remained hooded though and Muramasa knew he was destined to be disappointed. The silence was deafening and he finally moved his eyes away, searching out his book and reaching for it to continue reading since he didn't foresee getting a straight answer from the other man.

"It is already too late to go back, Muramasa," the words were spoken so quietly that he had to strain to hear them.

He paused in the act of picking up the tome and turned to meet that black gaze again.

"It's never too late, Fubuki," he replied and his old friend scoffed.

"The words of someone who doesn't know what it's been like to personally watch everything you've worked towards falling apart these past few decades. You abandoned us when we needed you."

It was on the tip of his tongue to reply that he had already been suffering from the disease when he left. He wouldn't have helped the situation by crumbling away to nothing in front of the clan or leaving Kyo to rot in jail for killing Nobunaga and disrupting their plans. Even though they had concealed Hitoki and what was happening to her, it would be harder to do the same to him. And he was still convinced that Kyo had the power to set things right. However, he decided to focus on the emotion behind the statement instead of explaining himself or arguing.

Beneath the coldness, he could sense the deep sense of betrayal that Fubuki was nursing. Even though his abilities were suppressed because of his surroundings, the two of them had history. You couldn't spend millennia as friends with someone without being intimately acquainted with their moods and emotional makeup. The other man thrived on control and his world had been spiraling out of it ever since he realized that his wife wasn't coming back.

Fubuki was the realist – skewed ever so slightly towards pessimism - who always kept things in check by sheer will. Hishigi had been the mediator, who brought much-needed facts to every discussion. Ian had brought humor, tactfully lightening things up and making them laugh before things got out of hand. And Muramasa had been the eternal optimist who always believed that there was more than one solution to every problem. Even now, he knew that the four of them had been good together.

In every discussion they'd had after the disease first manifested, he did his best to reason with his brother-in-law and friend, especially when his mind headed towards darker paths. The more Fubuki tried to gain control of the situation, the more it crumbled and the more Muramasa wound up butting heads with him until he realized that he wouldn't be able to help the clan or his friends by staying under the king's thumb.

"It was not my intention to hurt you or Hishigi," he told him gently after weighing the wisdom of letting him know that he wasn't blind to his feelings versus remaining quiet.

Those wide shoulders went rigid, indicating that he had struck a nerve, and his black eyes flashed as he responded, "What you _intended_ to do and what happened are two separate things. Do you even realize how much your departure splintered the clan? Even now, there are people who view you as some sort of savior who will return to fix everything. A miracle worker who is destined to return what was lost to us."

The contempt in his voice told Muramasa what he thought about that idea and he replied, "I never asked to be put up on a pedestal, Fubuki. All I did was gamble that there was another way to set things right. The time for mankind and, yes, even us to view the Mibu clan as a race of gods is long gone. We can't go back to the past but I still believe we can change our future. What the king wants to do, returning everything to nothing, is not a solution."

"It's a new beginning at least. We already have a head start on building a new clan. One that isn't subject to the Death Disease."

"And what about the old Mibu clan. Should those people be rewarded for their loyalty with abandonment and death? You have treatment for them, Fubuki. I was in a bad way when Tokito visited me and now I'm not."

"It's only temporary," he replied.

"Then you need to be temporarily saving lives while you work on a more permanent solution."

"We can't."

"Can't or won't?!" Muramasa demanded, irritated by his refusal to even consider buying for time for the people he claimed to care about.

"We can't!" for the first time, real heat crept into Fubuki's voice and for a moment, just one, he looked as if he had aged. Fatigue settled across his shoulders like a mantle and that grim mouth looked even more so.

"Sendai-Sama has already made his decision and we lack the power to change it. I'm not even sure I _want_ to change his mind."

The weariness in his voice as he said the last sentence was alarming. It sounded dangerously like he had given up entirely and Muramasa softened his tone as he said his name, "Fubuki…"

"We are done here, Muramasa," Fubuki cut him off, giving him his back.

"Because we were once friends, I will overlook your previous interference in how I choose to interact with Tokito. I will not be lenient again. Hate me, if you will, for raising her to believe that you are her father but enduring it is the least you can do for shirking your duty as a Taishirou."

There wasn't an ounce of give in his bearing and Muramasa sighed again, watching him for a second as he started to stride off.

"What does she look like when she isn't parading around in the guise of a boy?" he asked the question knowing that he likely would not get a chance to talk to Fubuki in private again.

"Does she look even more like Hitoki now that she's a grown woman? Is that why you can't bear to gaze upon her true form?"

The head of the Taishirou paused and he knew the other man was deciding whether or not to answer him. If he sincerely believed that he owed him some sort of debt for leaving, then he could tell him more about the child he had decided to pass off as his. Unlike the rest of his peers, he would treasure anything that remained of his sister's legacy - her angry and ill-treated daughter included. He had plenty of training in dealing with difficult children after raising Kyo, after all.

He was not shocked that Fubuki made him wait but he _was_ surprised that he bothered to reply at all at the end of his long stretch of silence.

"She's the spitting image of her," he said at last in a near whisper before continuing on and leaving him to ponder what else could possibly happen.

 _'Here's to hoping my faith in you wasn't in vain, Kyo,'_ he thought as he finally picked up his book and settled in for another long patch of waiting.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of laughter woke him up.

It was happy and loud, the music of little ones who didn't have a care in the world.

Kyo opened his eyes and squinted against the light that invaded them. Overhead, the sky was a clear blue and he blinked as something landed near his head and bounced away, followed by a stampede of tiny feet. Turning, he saw a bunch of children dressed in ultrafine clothes chasing after an embroidered ball and wondered where he was.

He watched them for a moment while they ignored him entirely. Moving his eyes, he noted that he was in a courtyard of some sort - surrounded by buildings, walls, and bridges that were overlaid in gold. It reminded him of the way the Mibu clan used to look before things became more desperate and it started falling into disrepair.

Pushing himself up, he realized that he could move easily now and tried to figure out if he was merely dreaming or if he was actually dead. If so, this looked suspiciously like what he had always heard heaven was, which was bizarre. With as many lives as he'd taken over the years, he had always figured that he was destined for someplace a lot hotter and much further south.

"Awake at last," a voice said behind him and he rose to his feet and whirled around, hand automatically going to the place where Tenrou should have been.

His fingers closed around empty air and a deep chuckled filled the space. How was it that even a laugh could convey the absolute power of its owner? He pondered this as he took in the being before him.

The man was perched on a throne with a set of steps leading up to it and, even seated, Kyo knew he would tower over him at full height. He took in the horns curling out on either side of his head from beneath his lengthy mass of wavy red hair and the long, pointed nails at the end of his fingers. Even his clothes were over the top, with black spines protruding from the back of them and enveloping robes decorated with what looked like some sort of incantation.

However, all of those observations took a back seat to the eyes that stared back at him. Brilliant crimson from to end with a cluster of raised veins between. The exact same shade as his irises but more, so much more. They were penetrating and he felt as if all of his secrets and inmost thoughts were laid bare by that gaze.

Despite the casual way he was sitting - chin propped up on one hand while the other curled around the arm of his throne – Kyo remained alert. Neither the genial expression on the other man's face nor the fact that he wasn't moving could hide the aura around him.

 _'Strong,'_ the word rose unbidden in his mind.

Not your run-of-the-mill strength either, but another plane entirely. He was closer to the former king in presence and Kyo keenly felt the gulf between his abilities and that of his strange watcher.

Those grinning lips quirked, exposing the tip of a wicked fang as he asked evenly, "Where was that caution when I was trying to warn you, Kyo?"

Kyo frowned at the familiar address. He'd heard that voice before, albeit briefly, and he tried to place it as he replied, "I don't even _know_ who you are."

"Oh, you don't? Does this sound familiar? _Fool_ ," he said the word mockingly and Kyo suddenly remembered charging himself up and drowning out everything else so that he could fight Nobunaga.

Those red eyes gleamed as he continued, "How about this one? _Obey!_ "

The scene in his head changed and he was locked in place, fighting against his sword and struggling to control his ki while Kyoshiro chided him. Tenrou wanted to take over and he could only watch helplessly as Yuya was impaled.

Anger surged through him and he glared rebelliously at the man on the throne as he spat, "You're the reason why that traitor got his hands on my woman. I don't even know if she's still alive."

The hand that wasn't propping up his chin lifted and he waved it in a dismissive motion as he replied, "She's alive. There _are_ perks to having access to the afterlife and your human hasn't arrived there yet, although it was a near thing. She's such a weak little thing though, I'm not sure how long she'll last in the clutches of the clan."

Kyo grit his teeth, seething at both the reminder of his failure and the nonchalant way he referred to his wife, as if she were of no account. That endless crimson stare took him in and he had the distinct impression that his measure was being taken before a smirk - that was eerily similar to his own - touched his wide lips.

Leaning back and shifting both hands to the arms of his throne, the legs beneath his robe moved and he figured that the man was crossing them as he asked teasingly, "Does that _upset_ you? The thought of losing someone you love?"

Laughter sounded and the children in the background came running past him again. A cluster of boys and girls charged up the steps and started climbing into the broad lap provided for their enjoyment. All of them had gleaming red eyes that filled their sockets and he was unsure what to make of them. He had always been alone with his unusual eyes for as long as he could remember and it was strange to see a bunch of children running around with a form of them.

Disturbed by the sense of kinship he felt towards the odd kids, he turned to analyzing the complacent way the other man allowed the brats to clamber all over him and play with his long hair. For some reason, he felt as if he were being made fun of.

"You already know the answer," he responded tightly, "And I thought you were supposed to be a wolf or something like that."

"This form is more convenient for conversing with you, Kyo," he replied lightly, "Your son has already seen and told you about me, there's no reason to hide my real face from you at this point."

It was a logical explanation but his previous actions made no sense and he voiced as much.

"Fine, if you know so much and see so much then why did you interfere? I could have handled the situation."

"No, you couldn't. Not as you were then and not as you are now," came the blunt reply.

"I…," Kyo began only to be cut off.

"…Was losing control before I even interfered. You were getting over-confident because you were winning so easily and you were listening to your inner demon. Do you even realize how dangerous that is?"

"Of course…," he replied only to be interrupted yet again.

"...You don't. Because if you had, you would have known to control yourself. You _had_ the next technique of the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school in your grasp and you let it get away from you. If you hate the idea of hurting the people you care about so much then you'll have to get used to it if you plan to let yourself go wild like that. Honestly, trampling all over a much weaker opponent like a mindless beast because you were relying on your friends to pick up the pieces afterwards."

Kyo compressed his lips in response. He knew the exact moment he was speaking about. That second when he had felt the power coursing through him and forgotten all about trying to save Nozomu. Had Muramasa been there, he would have chided him as well and he wondered why this stranger seemed determined to poke at him like a nagging parent.

"And then, what would you have done next against not one, not two, but _three_ opponents who vastly outstripped Nobunaga? You who know only half of your own fighting school? Who can't even speak to _me_ properly?"

Reaching up, he plucked the children off and set them down gently, shooing them away and watching them run off with happy giggles before standing up. As expected, he was incredibly tall and Kyo stood his ground as he descended the stairs and walked over to him.

"If I'm so weak, then what would controlling me have accomplished? And why were you urging me to kill them?"

"The weakness doesn't lie in your body, Kyo. You aren't like the rest of the Mibu, doomed to waste away due to disease. It's up here," he extended one claw-tipped finger and tapped it against his forehead.

Irritated by his audacity in touching him, Kyo swatted the digit away and the other man chuckled as he said, "It's not power or guts you lack, boy. It's the ability to balance both halves of your nature. You need to get your inner voices sorted because that command to kill at the end didn't come from me, else I'd have let you go so you could attempt and then fail to rescue your wife."

"No, that was your other side ordering you around and making promises of greater power. The destructive part of your being that you should never set free as a member of the Mibu clan. I have it too, as does your son. It's the most straightforward way of gaining more strength but it's also the fastest way to lose everything and everyone you care about. I couldn't very well let you on the loose like that, could I?"

He sighed and the weight of the world was contained in that breath as he continued, "You should have let me have the reigns instead of fighting me so hard and making it so neither of us could move. After all, I understand you better than you understand yourself. I know exactly what you are and what you are capable of as one of the True Mibu. _I_ could have taken them with your body."

The giant punctuated his statement by reaching out and ruffling his hair in a paternal gesture that annoyed him even more. The idea of allowing someone else to take over his body in order to use abilities he himself couldn't wield and fighting his battles for him did not sit well with the Thousand Killer. It made him sound like a weakling who would take the easy way out and he raised his arm, attempting to push away the offending hand.

He might as well have been shoving a mountain. No matter how much he pushed, the hand refused to move more than a couple of millimeters to the side and he clenched his teeth as the other man pressed down and he felt the pavement cracking beneath his feet.

"See what I mean? Still too weak mentally to budge me more than a fraction and you think you can take on the former king as you are?" he asked, smiling indulgently, and Kyo knew without being told that he wasn't even using his full power.

 _'Who and what exactly are you?'_ he wondered.

He had always known that Tenrou had a mind of its own but there was more to the being in front of him than a mindless, bloodthirsty sword. The air around him reminded him vaguely of Muramasa - ancient and powerful, with a hint of mystery. Except, he was pretty sure that this man had an even older history than his adopted father.

A comment the man had made caught his attention and he stopped pushing against that strong hand and asked, "What do you mean "True Mibu"? There's a crapload of Mibu clan members running around. We just fought off a whole army of them."

"I love watching that mind of yours turn, Kyo. It doesn't take you long to figure things out," Kyo wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not.

"However, that's a part of history for another time. I'd rather set a goal for you before you leave," he finally raised his hand and Kyo stumbled at the sudden relief from having his skull pushed down.

"I don't have to do anything, old man and I'm still not even sure what you are," Kyo growled.

"That's easy enough to clear up. What I am is the first king of them all. Before the Crimson King you know came into existence, _I_ ruled the Mibu clan. And what you are is the last of my children."

"So, you're some sort of ghost? How could I possibly be your kid if you've been dead for the past few thousand years?" Kyo replied, "And what's with the horns?"

"So many questions and so little time. Your son was just like you. Well, I can answer the first and last ones. In some lights, I might quality as a ghost but I prefer to think of myself as being reincarnated into the form that would be of most use to my offspring," the First King replied.

Kyo wasn't sure if he should bother to mention that reincarnation usually required a living body versus an object. After all, he had taken up residence in one of Muramasa's "living swords", so perhaps the lines between what counted as a second chance and straight up possession were blurred. He was actually more skeptical of the man's claim to being his father.

"And as for the horns….," he reached up and grasped the appendages on either side of his head, disconnecting them with minimal effort.

Kyo blinked in surprise as he said cheerfully, "Tada! Just a little joke I was saving for when I finally met you. Ryu-Chan thought it was neat."

It was unbelievably cheesy and not at all something he would have expected of someone so powerful. Hence, he responded by snorting derisively and saying, "Do I look like a child to you?"

The king's face fell for a moment before his expression turned thoughtful and he replied, "Actually, you barely look like _my_ child. There's something missing."

He reached forward and tapped the space next to Kyo's left eye as he continued, "These are all wrong. The key to our power lies in the eyes and yours aren't even properly activated. Like mine or the children yonder."

The younger man narrowed the orbs in question and asked, "And what exactly is involved in that?"

"Since you won't let me have control, you'll have to get a little stronger first. Here's your homework. Learn Genbu, the next attack in the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu school, and we'll talk again."

The world shimmered and Kyo felt himself moving backwards involuntarily.

"Wait, old man. I still need answers," he said, taking a step forward that brought him no closer to the First King.

"Leave it for next time, Kyo. Your little ones need you. Ah, but please tell them that their Jii-Chan says "hello" and take good care of them. There's no greater inheritance than a child and you have a couple of good ones."

Kyo struggled to remain close but the king was having none of that.

"Relax, Kyo. You'll be back in the real world in a blink."

His eyelids felt heavy and he shut them for half a second to get rid of the feeling. When he opened them again, Aiko was hovering over him with a worried face and her hands were shaking his shoulder.

"Tou-Chan," her voice was wobbly and he stared at her for a long moment, taking in her dirt-smudged clothes and the smell of old blood.

Yuya's blood. It had stained the makeshift dress his wife had fashioned for her and he could tell that there were still remnants of it on her hands from trying to help his wife.

"Tou-Chan?" his name was repeated in an uncertain tone and he realized that he was unsettling her by staring without saying anything.

She was different from Ryu, who didn't mind large intervals of silence. Like her mother, she thrived on verbal communication and the open expression of emotions despite the fact that she didn't need the latter with her empathic abilities being what they were.

How exactly did one speak to little girls after all of the initial introductions were over? They'd met. He'd established that she was his child and a smart one at that. She had special powers and he was supposed to kill Hishigi at some point for attempting to exploit them. She was going to grow up to be beautiful and he was destined to kill any man who came sniffing around her.

What else _was_ there?

He sat up and took his eyes away from her to scan their surroundings even though he already knew where they were. The smells of old air and decay underlaid with death told a story all their own. It was the labyrinth hidden beneath the clan proper, which meant that they had a relatively high chance of meeting its keeper.

 _'Yeah, just what I need. Running into that crazy old bat before we find the exit,'_ he thought in irritation.

"Are you upset, Tou-Chan?" Aiko's soft inquiry brought his attention back to her and, for her sake, he softened his scowl.

"No, short stuff, I just hate this place. It's where the Mibu throw away all of the things and people they don't want."

"Oh," he could tell that she didn't completely understand the situation and she huddled closer to him as she looked around as well.

"Where's your brother, kid? And why aren't you bawling your eyes out by now? Aren't you scared?"

She blinked, as if just remembering that she was supposed to be afraid, and nodded before replying, "Ryu-Chan when to look for Shinrei that way," she pointed off to their left.

"Running off without knowing where you're going is a fantastic way to get lost in this hellhole," he grumbled.

"What's a hellhole?" she asked innocently and he cringed, remembering that he was supposed to be watching his mouth around the kids.

"Something you don't need to repeat," he replied.

"Okay," she accepted his answer easily before addressing the his fear of Ryu getting lost, "But I told him where Shinrei-Sama is."

"How."

"He's like Ryu. In my head all the time," Kyo scowled at that, "I'm not really afraid because they'll help us. And Shinrei-Sama is really strong."

 _'Shinrei-Sama is really strong,'_ Kyo repeated the words to himself in a mocking tone but avoided saying them out loud. If Shinrei was so strong then he wouldn't have had to be rescued by an almost four-year-old. However, Aiko was clearly very attached and he didn't have the energy to correct her poor taste in men when they needed to get out of the labyrinth as soon as possible.

"You're strong too," she said and he was mollified somewhat by the fact that she still acknowledged his strength as well and that it wasn't a Shinrei-only thing.

However, his good mood was dampened when she continued, "But kind of scary. You were turning red."

He grimaced as he got to his feet and picked his sword up gingerly as he said, "Yeah. That was a new trick. You can blame your Gramps for that."

It took her a second to process what he said and she smiled as she exclaimed, "You met, Jii-Chan?! Isn't he nice?"

"Yeah, he's…something," Kyo replied.

Overbearing. A know-it-all. Crappy at making jokes. Ridiculously powerful.

"He says "hi" by the way," he informed her, figuring that it couldn't hurt to convey the message.

"Tell him I said "hi" too," she replied, completely unaware of the impracticality of her request.

"I'll get right on that," he said and his sarcasm flew over her head completely as she nodded eagerly in response.

"Let's get a move on while you tell me what you remember."

He had no clue what happened after he blacked out and how his children had survived the fall into what he considered to be the closest place to Hell on Earth.

"You saved us," she replied and he frowned before realizing that his so-called father had probably used his body to shield them.

He felt a twinge of irritation at being possessed anyways - despite fighting his sword so hard - then realized that it was silly to get mad when it had saved his children's lives.

"You're welcome, I guess. We need to get you something else to wear."

The smell of Yuya's blood was distracting and all it did was serve as a reminder that his last image was of her getting speared through the gut and bleeding to death.

Demonstrating just how sharp her mind was, Aiko took a delicate sniff of her sleeve as she fell into place next to him, trotting three or four steps to keep up with every one of his.

"I'm sorry I smell like Kaa-chan," she said and the note of dejection in her voice made his heart clench.

There was something about having his little girl feeling bad that made him feel like crap as well and it wasn't because of her odd powers either.

"Not your fault, girl. It's on me for not doing a better job of keeping myself in check."

He paused, wondering how he could eliminate the sad expression on her face. It wasn't in his nature to coddle anyone but, like with Yuya, negative emotions from Aiko felt like a failing on his part. Kyo fumbled around in his head for a second, trying to think of something he could say to lighten her mood.

"You're a brave kid for not going to pieces even though your mom was hurt," he continued at last.

He saw no point in enlightening her about the fact that her mother had been mortally wounded and that it would require divine intervention, literally, to help her. Since the First King said she was not amongst the dead, he could only assume that Kyoshiro had saved her as he implied he would.

She was quiet for a moment before replying, "She used to get hurt a lot when she left with Kyoshiro Ji-Chan to find bad people. But you're here now. You'll save Kaa-Chan."

There wasn't a speck of doubt in her voice and it both heartened and depressed him. He loved her confidence in him because it reminded him of how much faith Yuya put in him as well, but it hurt too because it also reminded him that his wife was out of the picture for now.

Crimson eyes continued to stare at him expectantly and he realized that she was waiting for confirmation that he would do as she said he would.

Smirking, he reached out to pat her red-gold head as he said, "You know it, kid."

The smile she gave him was utterly charming and terrifyingly similar to Yuya's and he swallowed the lump that formed in his throat.

Kyo wanted his wife back.

He wanted her to touch him and help him to keep his cool. He craved her smile, her smell, and her remarkable gift for navigating the turbulent seas of human emotions. She would know exactly what to say to put their daughter at ease. He just needed…her.

The Thousand Killer hastened his footsteps - as if he could outpace his longing for Yuya - forcing Aiko to hurry to catch up as he spread his senses out. The closer they got to Shinrei and Ryu, the more easily he was able to pick up their ki and he appreciated that fact that the other man was keeping his signature low to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

The path was pretty much a straight shot from the spot where he'd woken up and as they passed underneath an arch, a massive room opened up in front of them. On the far side of the room, he espied the silver-haired man and his son.

"Tou-San!" Ryu exclaimed, running over to greet them.

Kyo opened his mouth to respond when a massive ki materialized above and he heard the sound of stone cracking as someone barreled down on them from a higher floor.

"Stay here," he said, nudging Aiko towards the archway they had just come through before hurrying over towards Ryu. The crashing sound grew deafening and a huge spray of dust and pulverized stone rained down on him just as he reached the spot where Ryu was standing in surprise.

Tenrou was out of its sheath in a flash and he raised it up in just enough time to catch the sword aimed for his son, grunting and bracing his legs even further apart to withstand the force of the blow. The floor beneath his feet cracked and he brute forced his attacker away, positioning himself in front of Ryu.

"I knew you'd show up at some point, you old hag," he growled at his attacker.

"Still got such rude mouth huh, you little crap sack?" Shihoudou replied as she landed on her feet easily and slung the blunt edge of her sword over her shoulder.

First, he lost Yuya and had almost gotten taken over by his sword. Now he was dealing with someone he wasn't entirely sure he could beat in his current condition.

The day had officially gone from bad to worse.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hope ya'll found this entertaining and that the explanations in this chapter came out alright. It's kind of a pain sometimes because Kamijyo-Sensei left some serious plot holes in SDK. Like, how in the world is Kyo the last of the True Mibu if they all died off thousands of years ago? Math ain't my forte but I'm pretty sure that doesn't add up. -_-

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this and please do let me know your thoughts.


	49. Biddies and Bodies

**Thanks to: Azure** (Glad I was able to clear things up for you. Not surprised you forgot about the king since he was barely in the manga and I only covered him in like a chapter or two near the beginning of this fic. I still enjoy writing him though. Gotta' love those folks who are so old they just don't give a crap anymore and do their own thing. =D), **DebyMu** (Kyo is definitely going to meet the First King again and he's going to be a great father, he just needs more confidence. I'm looking forward to the next few chapters too. Shihoudou is one of my favorite characters.), **Almecestris** (Thanks for taking the time to review. Glad you enjoyed it.), **general zargon** (Lol, even though we only got to see the first king for a tiny bit in the manga, I LOVE him. Totally planning to have more of him in the sequel because he's too awesome a character to ignore.), **Yira** (Seriously! How the heck did Kyo come to be? Did the king send him away in some sort of capsule Superman-style to save the world? Dang it Kamijyo-Sensei! Give us the answers! -_-), **J Luc Pitard** (The promised plot progression has finally arrived. =). I'm glad you are enjoying where the story is going and there will be more of the First King, I promise. I love him too much to pass up the opportunity to have more of him. Kyo is still a work in progress on the dad front but he'll get there.)

 **Japanese note:** Shihoudou calls Kyo a lot of things, as you know. She uses the term "Oni-Chan" but this isn't the version that you'd use for a brother. It's the oni as in demon. Chin-Chin is actually slang for a man's genitals (don't use this around Japanese folks or they'll laugh at you). Also, Shihoudou's hat is called a sandogasa. You learn something new every day. ㈴2

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Four**

 **Biddies and Bodies**

"Lots of vermin running around down here, these days," Shihoudou said as she took them all in with dark eyes and lips that fell somewhere between a pout and a grin.

"Been a long time since we last met, _Oni-Chan_ ," she said his name in a cutesy tone, "Did you get flushed down the toilet too? Or did you miss Auntie so much you came for a visit?"

Her gaze moved past him to Ryu and her expression turned incredulous as she finished, "Or maybe you learned how to time travel. I'm seeing little you from way back in the day."

Kyo replied irritably, "Keep your eyes to yourself, skanky witch. You already know where he's from. Don't tell me you forgot about hustling my woman out of this pit a few years back."

"You've got such a freakin' potty-mouth - always spouting crap. I remember your little human. I thought of killing her but she had a brat inside and I wanted to see what would happen. Just think, the Demon Child had a Demon Child. Or maybe," she half turned and took Aiko in as well, "I should say Demon Kids. Haven't seen so many runts running around in ages."

Her sword entered its sheath as she turned back to look at Kyo and then she was in his face and violating his space in half a second more.

"So nice to see you again, Demon Brat," she murmured as she reached out and ran her hands across his shoulders. He grit his teeth and endured her touch since he wasn't inclined to anger her right off the bat, not with his little ones around and not before he made it clear he wanted to pass through peacefully instead of fighting her.

It was a slim hope and not his usual style but he was eager to make progress and find out what had happened to his wife and, to a lesser extent, Akari and the rest of his friends.

"Ooh, who knew you'd grow into such a manly man?" Shihoudou cooed as she circled him around and around, like a teenager instead of a woman who was old enough to have changed Murmasa's diapers.

He took in the changes to her appearance. Her hair was short all the way around now and just past her chin, but she still wore her trademark sandogasa hat. She had on even fewer clothes, with nothing to keep her breasts in check but a set of tightly wrapped bandages and a pair of short shorts to cover her bottom. Her calves were covered in bandages and there were simple geta on her feet. The most modest thing she wore was a long blue and white stripped cloak which fluttered after her as she circled him and checked him out in return.

"Strong shoulders. Nice booty," he growled as she pinched the body part in question before she stood in front of him again and her hands roamed over his chest.

Her tongue poked out from between her lips in concentration for a moment before she said, "Yummy chest and abs too. No wonder you got the girl. Although I bet Auntie Shihoudou could show you an even better time. Makes me wonder what you have stashed below. Did you finally grow hair down there, hmm?"

She cackled as her hands wandered further south into territory that was marked "Property of Yuya" and Kyo finally lost his patience.

"Get off of me!" he growled, shifting Tenrou in his hand and swinging it at her.

She hopped away smoothly and gained enough height to land on a protruding beam overhead, a casualty of her barreling through the floors above on her way to see who had trespassed into her realm.

"Aww, you're no fun at all, Oni-Chan," she said with a sulky expression.

A step sounded next him and he shifted his gaze to look at Shinrei, who had moved up to provide extra cover for Ryu while he tracked the strange woman's movements with intent eyes.

"What a crude female," he said, his voice laden with disapproval, "And yet, why do I feel like I should know her and why are you allowing her to put her hands all over you? I don't think your wife would approve."

The censure in his voice was clear and Kyo's brows lowered into a frown at his audacity.

"Since when do you give a crap how _my_ woman would feel? I don't feel like hearing that from the man who stuck his tongue down her throat and cursed her."

He was rewarded with a furious blush and those golden eyes skittered away as he replied, "I already apologized to her about _that_. Yuya-San was gracious enough to accept on the basis of my defense of your children."

' _When the heck did that happen?!'_ Kyo wondered, then recalled the trip from the fifth gate to the courtyard where Nobunaga was. Since that was the last time Yuya had spoken to Shinrei out of earshot of him, he figured that redemption must have been part of the conversation.

Having Yuya forgive Shinrei for what he'd done to her without consulting him first piqued him for an instant. But he caught himself and recalled what sort of person he was married to.

' _I can make friends with whoever I want, Kyo!'_

That would be her response if he fussed at her about it and he shook his head. He couldn't talk. They'd come so far from him threatening to kill her to him falling in love with and marrying her – two things he'd promised himself he would never do. He'd settled for the exact kind of slavery that he'd sworn to avoid and he actually enjoyed it.

' _I must be some sort of masochist_ ,' he thought to himself as Shinrei continued.

"As for why I care now…well, I already told you my thoughts on Yuya-San the last time we fought and speaking to her has only solidified that impression. She is a good and decent person. I do not wish to see her hurt anymore. Not when she loves," he actually blushed even more at the word, "you as much as she does. You must appreciate her, Kyo."

Had he gone to some sort of parallel dimension? Shinrei, Mr. Lord High Stick Up His Butt, was admonishing him about treating his wife well like some sort of fussy grandpa? Had he fallen in love with her too like the rest of his idiot friends?

"When I want your opinion on my relationship with my wife, I'll ask you. You'll probably be dead by then, though," he spat.

Like the aristocrat that he was Shinrei replied with a dignified, "As you wish. I simply hope that you understand what a treasure your family is. You are worrying your daughter."

"How do you…? Never mind," Kyo replied, glancing over at Aiko who was watching their exchange with a concerned look on her face. She looked at him with a clear question in her eyes and he nodded his permission for her to come on over.

' _Gotta' find a way to break that link between the two of them,'_ he reminded himself as she pitter-patted over to him and took her place between Shinrei and himself. A tug on his kimono indicated that she had grabbed a handful of the fabric and he noted that she did the same for the other man's tunic. Because they were destined to butt heads constantly, by virtue of their opposite natures, he didn't appreciate her need to run and rescue her "precious" Shinrei every time the two of them exchanged words.

' _ **I'm**_ _your father, brat,'_ he reminded her silently.

In his hand, Tenrou vibrated slightly and he got the feeling the feeling that he was being laughed at again which irritated him even more. The old man could make fun of him but he couldn't bother to speak to him once more? What was up with that?!

"Hellooo, Auntie is still here! Either shut up or make out. I need some kind of entertainment and I'll take two hot boys getting it on if you don't wanna' play with me," Shihoudou interrupted his thoughts cheerfully.

The mental picture she conjured up made him feel nauseous and Shinrei obviously felt the same way as he took an angry step forward and said heatedly, "Silence your perverse tongue, woman! There are children present! If Kyo will not fight you then I will gladly do so, if only to teach you proper manners."

It was amusing to see the other man all riled up and he debated whether or not to tell him to rein his temper in before he got himself killed. He clearly hadn't a clue who they were dealing with since Shihoudou had already hermitized when the two of them were still kids.

"Ooh, such a noisy snob you are Rei-Rei," Shinrei's expression was scandalized at the way she butchered his name.

"Rude just like your bastard sensei even though I changed his poopy pants along with Muramasa," the pout was in place again as she plopped herself down with her legs dangling from the edge of the beam and crossed her arms.

"How can you know me when I don't even know who you _are_?" the silver-haired man demanded.

"Because crap flows downhill. I was thrown away down here like all the rest of the Mibu's dirty, stinky secrets. Guess that makes me the Queen of Filth," she chuckled carelessly, "If you wanna' fight me, feel free. Although I don't like the thought of killing such a pretty boy."

"As if you could," he replied boldly before addressing Kyo under his breath, "Who is she anyways?"

"Just a crusty old biddy with too much time on her hands and a kitty that's probably locked up tight due to lack of use. I can promise you, no man is hitting that bundle of crazy so don't be surprised if she cops a feel of you too."

Shinrei returned his statement with a blank stare and Kyo realized that he was using slang that the nobleman had probably never heard in his life. In the background, Aiko whispered to Ryu and asked where the "kitty" was.

Ryu replied, "Dunno."

"Cats and snakes. Boys and girls have a lot of animals," she replied, her tone thoroughly mystified.

Sighing at having to explain himself to sheltered rich kids and being surrounded by naïve innocents – Shinrei included - he said bluntly, "She's a banished, ex-Taishirou and she hasn't had a man in years so don't be shocked if she decides to feel you up too."

"So, you were just being cautious before? She must be truly powerful to cause even _you_ to hesitate," Shinrei said directly.

The unintentional, albeit true, insult pricked his pride and his hand clenched around Tenrou's hilt. Shinrei had an absolute gift for making him want to punch him. His sword vibrated even harder in his hand and he growled in the back of his throat.

He was most definitely being laughed at.

Dark eyes watched the two of them and a secretive smile touched Shihoudou's lips as she crossed one leg over the other and reached up to take her hat off. Turning the sandogasa over and over in her hands with deceptive ease, she waited until their attention was on her once more before perching it on one finger and spinning it carelessly.

"Y'know," she drawled lazily, "maybe I'll make a deal with you, Rei-Rei, since you're so cute."

"Please don't call me that," he said with a pained look.

"Would you prefer Shin-Shin?" she asked with a smile.

"That's too close to Chin-Chin," that flush put in an appearance on his cheeks again and Kyo wondered how a man who was about the same age as he managed to be so stupidly sensitive.

"I'd rather my name _not_ sound like a reference to male genitalia," he concluded

The Thousand Killer snorted in amusement. So Shinrei wasn't completely oblivious to the finer nuances of slang. There was hope for him yet.

"Then Rei-Rei it is. So, Rei-Rei", she drew the nickname out just to get on Shinrei's nerves, "how about I let the two of you pass without trouble if you can do _one_ little thing."

Kyo, sensing that the other man was about to find out the hard way just how strong Shihoudou was, motioned for his kids to come closer. While the former Elder drew her request out with a long, dramatic pause, he hustled them a good twenty feet away.

Silver brows rose in inquiry before he asked, "And what do you want from me? I should clarify that I am not at all willing to give out sexual favors."

The way he phrased it was so proper that the woman actually burst out laughing and even Kyo winced. It was like a rabbit telling a hungry wolf that he would satisfy her hunger as long as no biting was involved.

Shihoudou's laughter went on for a full minute before she finally got control of herself and, wiping her eyes with her free hand, she replied, "So freakin' adorable. I like your balls Rei-Rei. Maybe you'll show them to me one day."

She waggled her eyes brows at him like the dirty old woman she was before concluding, "But, I'm not going to ask you to drop your pants...yet."

"Thank…you?" Shinrei ended it on a questioning note which sent her into peals of laughter again.

Kyo half expected him to lock his legs together and cross his arms over his chest in the universal sign of "please don't take my virginity". Not that he knew much about that side of Shinrei's life outside of the hints Akari had dropped about him not getting around much.

' _Seems like the idiot brothers have a few things in common,'_ he mused.

"Ah, gotta' love sweet boys like you. I could just eat you up," she licked her lips, "but getting back to business. I'll let you have a free pass if you can catch my hat."

She stopped spinning the article in question and tossed it casually towards Shinrei who sighed as he raised his hands and asked, "Is that all?"

Kyo was oh-so-tempted to allow the man to catch the deadly sandogasa. It would certainly solve his never-ending annoyance at having a rival for Aiko's affections and give him something to laugh at for years to come on top of that.

" _Oh yeah, you know that guy who gave me such a hard time back in the day? He was killed by a hat."_

Sometimes the jokes just wrote themselves.

He had to remind himself that he was _attempting_ to balance his good and bad sides against each other. Plus, Yuya and the kids would get mad at him if he didn't do anything. Grumbling inwardly about the stupid parts of doing the right thing, he caught the other man's eye and said his name in a warning tone.

"Shinrei."

Those golden eyes narrowed in understanding and he quickly dodged backwards, allowing the hat to hit the spot where he had been without interference. The contraption tore through the pavers and threw up sharp bits of stone that caught Shinrei on the cheek as it sank halfway into the ground.

The twins made identical sounds of awe and their protector stared at the sandogasa in shock, reaching up to unconsciously swipe away a drop of blood on his face where he had been scratched by flying debris. The fact that the hat would have seriously injured or even killed him was not lost on the water-user and he shot Kyo an assessing look once he got over his surprise.

"You could have let me get hurt," he said.

"Don't mention it…ever," Kyo replied and Shinrei nodded.

"Too bad! You aren't strong enough to catch my hat so you have to pay the toll another way. And you owe me twice over now, Oni-Chan. One for the first time and another for your little wife," Shihoudou said, her entire demeanor changing in the blink of an eye from jovial to deadly serious.

"I can see you are right at the starting line to speak to your sword, Demon Child, but a brat like you is still a thousand years too early to take me on, let alone the king. As much faith as that fool Muramasa put into you, I expected you to be further along by now. You disappoint me, Kyo," all traces of childishness were gone now and her killing aura was oppressive as she drew her sword again.

"Keep the brats out of the way, Shinrei," Kyo ordered, nudging his offspring in the other man's direction. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him to relocate them entirely but the labyrinth was exactly that, a deadly maze that was almost impossible to escape. Running off would just get them lost.

Tenrou thrummed in his hand and Kyo braced himself for impact as the former Taishirou jumped from her spot overhead and allowed gravity to carry her to him.

Their blades collided with a mighty clang and Kyo used the edge of his sword to funnel the brunt of her attack away from himself, noting that the force behind her blade was powerful enough to carve a groove in the ground next to his foot. As strong as she was physically, it was unwise to meet her assault head on. His body was brawny enough but she still had a slight edge on him due to her age and vastly more training and he had to be more cautious in battle without having Akari to heal his wounds afterwards. From this point onwards, he knew he was going to be punching at much heavier weights – enemies who made the Goyosei members seem like a walk in the park.

' _Get serious Kyo,'_ he heard the voice faintly in the back of his head.

' _Already on it old man,'_ Kyo replied mentally, giving no thought to the fact that he had just had his first proper exchange with his sword.

Tenrou gleamed in his hand and Shihoudou smirked knowingly as she spun and roundhouse kicked him in the side. Using his ki to soften the blow, he moved with the flow of the kick and spun towards her, swinging his sword around towards her flank. His opponent altered her grip on her blade and took advantage of its shorter length to drive the point upwards where it connected with Tenrou with pinpoint precision and knocked it off course to give herself an opening to hop away.

"Hmm, hmm! You've come a long way Demon Child," her grin was toothy as the light of battle shone in her eyes.

"Can't stay a kid forever, hag," Kyo replied.

"Ain't that the truth, kiddo? But…," she licked her lips, amusement etched across her features, "…This old hag as plenty of tricks up her sleeve. I'll give you one more chance to show me the hope Muramasa has put in you."

Her stance shifted and Kyo went on the alert as her ki rose and what looked like miniature clouds appeared along the edge of her sword.

' _Danger!'_

The warning resonated through his body and he matched her ki with his own, sifting through his repertoire of signature moves and settling on Suzaku. After so much practice, calling up his firebird came easily and he launched it towards Shihoudo at the same she intoned.

"Ame no Murakumo!"

After his fight with Nobunaga, Kyo knew the difference between just summoning the bird - as he had been doing previously - and putting more of his own emotions and ki into it. Suzaku's power was dependent his own and he poured it into the attack. Adding in his determination to progress and a healthy dose of fury because the woman was standing in the way between him and Yuya, he shook them all together. And, just as he had done with his old nemesis, he cooked up a version of Suzaku that was a completely different beast from what he had made prior.

Large and wild, it covered the battlefield with fiery wings and he thought he might have caught a satisfied grin on Shihoudou's face before it was obscured by a rush of clouds that expanded and elongated as they headed for his phoenix. A mouth ringed with sharp teeth formed and closed around his Suzaku and he could feel her ki pushing against his as she tried to cancel out and consume his attack.

A whisper of darkness touched the back of his mind and he forced it away. If his old man said he needed to work on more control because he already had the power, he was down for trying to make it happen. To be the greatest warrior, he needed to be the best on all fronts, which meant working harder. Being better. Like Yuya when it came to laying out her terms for their relationship, he couldn't settle for second best.

Therefore, he was gratified when - after a struggle that felt like it lasted an eternity – Shihoudou's toothy-clouds started to disintegrate. A smirk touched his lips and he poured more power into the attack.

"You're good, Oni-Chan. But not good enough," his enemy said and he squinted his eyes as her sword gleamed a blinding white in response.

Black symbols flashed briefly, curling down the side of her weapon, and her clouds coalesced again and grew larger, settling their teeth even harder into his bird and swelling as they engulfed its fiery wings and body completely.

The disturbing sound of munching filled the air and the clouds gradually folded in on themselves, halting his progress entirely until he was forced to release the ki he was pouring into his attack, saving it for later. Smaller and smaller the nimbus shrank until there was nothing left of either the clouds or his phoenix.

"I'll give you full marks for actually forcing me to put in a bit of work. But you still can't talk to your sword properly, Demon Child. I think it's time for me to show you the true power of my Kusanagi no Tsurugi," Shihoudou said and Kyo scowled.

Her sword gleamed again and he readied himself, watching intently the way Kusanagi's power grew exponentially and increased hers in turn. He wanted that power. Needed it to take back what was his and fulfill his goal of taking down a so-called god.

A deep awareness of the fact that he needed to be at the same place the former Elder was in his relationship with Tenrou settled over him and his sword grew warm in his hand.

A deep breath.

Then another.

And then they began again.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been so long since he last stood in front of his sire that Kyoshiro had to take a moment to steady himself.

Away from him, the king's presence was potent but ignorable. In the close confines of his study and beneath that red stare, however, his aura was suffocating and he kept his spine stiff and his gaze neutral. He had been waiting close to half an hour while his creator leafed through a journal and left him to his own thoughts.

"Your patience is admirable, Kyoshiro," that eternally mild voice said at last and the younger man bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement of the compliment.

"Being away has given me perspective, Sendai-Sama," he replied.

"There is something different about you, my knight. An air of maturity that you lacked the last time we were face to face."

"I realized that I can do the most good at your side, my lord. After traveling amongst humans these past few years, I have come to the conclusion that things cannot continue as they are."

"Really? What a pleasure to hear that. I do so enjoy being on the same page as my servants. Harmony is best, don't you agree? The opposite of that is long, sleepless nights and a futile fight against the inevitable."

"So I realized, my lord," Kyoshiro agreed, automatically stifling the thought that the king had ruined his peace of mind and sleep on purpose to wear him down.

Thinking too much would only get him in trouble. The best thing to do was to obey without question from here on out to bring things to an end. If the king was pleased because, from his perspective, Kyoshiro was falling in line, then he was doing his job properly. It was too dangerous to dwell on the fact that the conclusion he wanted was wildly different from the one his creator was aiming for.

Crimson eyes studied him from behind his thick glasses and he returned that gaze with his own for a long moment before the king said at last, "I missed you, my child. You were such a special creation. The greatest of my Crimson Cross Knights and the heir to my legacy. I have prepared a number of gifts for you."

"I eagerly anticipate receiving them, my lord."

A smile touched those thin lips and he closed the journal in his hand and rose smoothly to his full height as he said, "I look forward to your reaction when you see the progress we have made. Come, let us pay a visit to Hishigi's lab."

Kyoshiro nodded his acquiescence and fell into step behind his sire as they exited the study and headed to the lair of the infamous doctor.

Silence fell over the two of them as they walked and Kyoshiro was just starting to wonder what his king wanted to show him when the man in question said, "Are you in pain, my child?"

The younger man didn't bother asking how the king knew he was ill. The two of them were connected on a level that went far beyond that of father and son and transcended mere words. He was a part of the king and, like an arm or a leg, his creator knew when something was wrong with his body.

"Not much so far. Though I do have concerns about my worthiness to succeed you when I too am subject to the curse that plagues our clan."

"Indeed. Your humility is also admirable, Kyoshiro. However, I have a solution to that waiting for you at the end of our journey. Hishigi has done an excellent job of crafting a replacement vessel for you."

By sheer will, Kyoshiro avoided stumbling at the casually revealed revelation of what the king planned for him and he replied, "Would it not be subject to the same problems as my current body, my lord?"

"Not at all. We have made a great deal of progress on the Mibu reconstruction Project - courtesy of Kyo and his progeny. A new Mibu clan is in place for you to rule and I have a new body for you to complement our new beginning."

"I am unworthy of your thoughtfulness," he replied, unsure how else he could respond to the idea that his creator planned to relocate him to another body. Would he still be the same person even? Would he look different? Act differently?

A chuckle sounded and, without turning around, the king said, "Calm yourself, Kyoshiro. All will be well. As put out as I was that Kyo had formed an attachment to a mere human, I am pleased enough with the results the two of them produced. Kyo's son and now his daughter have proved to be excellent bases on which to build a perfect Mibu clan."

"Despite the taint of human blood, they are truly flawless. More beautiful, more powerful, immune to the Death Disease, and with so much more potential for growth than the previous members of the clan. All of our years of research have culminated in the fulfillment of our dream at last. A perfect race of gods with which you will rule the world."

He sighed in near ecstasy at the end of his words and Kyoshiro suppressed a shiver of apprehension.

"I see you still have doubts. I understand. You have been away. Perhaps it is better for you to see them with your own eyes."

By that time, they had arrived at the lab – an entrance that Kyoshiro had never been to and guarded by a couple of guards who kept their eyes carefully averted from their ruler. An air of anticipation surrounded the king as he opened the door without hesitation and strode into the room beyond.

The sound of children playing reached Kyoshiro's ears and then there was a chorus of young voices raised in greeting.

"You're back, Sendai-Sama!"

"Hello, Sendai-Sama!"

"Who is this, Sendai-Sama?"

The staccato of little feet headed in their direction and Kyoshiro drew abreast of his creator and stared in amazement at the group of children swarming towards them. There were fifteen of them, all dressed in white silk kimonos with hair of varying shades from black to white and every color in between and their ages ranged from three to about six. They were all clearly delighted to see the king and his sire kneeled and gathered as many as he could into his arms, ruffling heads and laughing softly to a thousand questions asked all at once.

Every single one of the children had red eyes like Kyo.

What his master had been talking about suddenly became very real and Kyoshiro could only stare in awe. They were beautiful indeed - perfectly formed like little dolls. And the closer he looked at them, the more he saw echoes of their origins.

Over there was a little boy with strawberry blonde hair like Aiko. Or what about the girl who was a near duplicate of Kyo as a child. It was if all of the potential children Kyo and Yuya would have together had been stolen away to remake the Mibu clan and Kyoshiro was disturbed on so many levels that he lost the ability to speak.

"Calm yourselves children," the Former King said with a smile, "I have brought your elder brother to visit you."

"Wow, we have another big brother?!"

"Who are you?"

"What's your name?"

The kids swarmed around him and tugged at his clothes in curiosity and he held still, unsure how to react to them."

"It's alright Kyoshiro. They won't bite," his master said in amusement.

"Of course," he replied, bending down to get a closer look and reaching out tentatively to touch a head here and there.

They were not natural, he understood this fully, but he found himself softening anyways. One of the girls looked a lot like Aiko and he smiled as she grinned at being singled out for attention and nuzzled against the hand he placed on her hair.

Regret at losing his niece punched him in the gut at the trusting gesture.

"What happened?"

"Are you alright, Nii-Chan?"

A chorus of concerned questions greeted his change of mood and he quickly fixed his face. Like him, they were creations too and a sense of kinship started to take root as he turned that fact over in his head. After a moment of basking in their innocent curiosity, he stood and said, "I'm fine and you all can call me Kyoshiro Nii-chan. I'm here to become the new king."

The reactions he got ranged from excitement to uncertainty and the children looked from him to the king, likely wondering what would become of the old ruler.

"I'll still be here to help Kyoshiro Nii-Chan," the king assured them.

"However, we have to move along. I have something I need to show your brother. I'm sure he'll enjoy coming back here to get acquainted with all of you later."

It wasn't a request. His ruler expected him to be fully onboard with raising and molding these replacement Mibu clan members.

Kyoshiro's smile fled his face as the two of them left the room and the children behind and headed deeper into the lab.

"They are beautiful, Sendai-Sama," he said, "Although I must confess that I am curious about their ages. I have only been away for four years and some of them appeared to be older than that."

"Some of the older ones have had their age accelerated. Those are the earlier versions when we were still nailing down our current process for creating them and needed to see the effect aging would have on them. There is actually an entirely separate batch we created shortly after we first acquired Kyo's son and they now make up the majority of guards stationed throughout the castle. They, along with the children make up the core of the New Mibu. We may even have new ones incoming with the genetic information we have collected from Kyo's girl and your female human friend."

It didn't escape his notice that the king avoided using their names. Did he even know them or did he simply not care? The former assassin processed the information about the manufactured children and tucked it away for later examination as they continued walking.

"The little ones like you. You will be an excellent ruler, Kyoshiro," the Former King said after a while.

Since he wasn't sure how he felt about earning his master's approval, he merely nodded and took a deep breath when they reached another door. He recognized this part of the lab as the place where Hishigi's more dangerous experiments took place.

Opening the door, they saw Hishigi directing his assistants around a table with a body on it in the middle of the room. There were symbols carved in a circle on the floor around the table and a sense of foreboding filled him.

A warm hand was placed on his back as his sire said, "This is what I wanted to show you as well. Rather, this is yet another gift from me to you. Crafted with the knowledge we've gleaned from Kyo and his offspring."

He was urged forward by that hand and he felt as if he were walking to the edge of an abyss. One, two three steps and then he was peering over the lip and into the figurative darkness that awaited him on that table.

Hishigi stood off to the side and merely observed as Kyoshiro stopped and looked down at…himself.

It was a perfect replica of him - from the black hair to the staring blue eyes that were devoid of all emotions. An empty vessel waiting for him to fill it. There was no other way to describe it.

"His eyes aren't red," he said. It wasn't a complaint, merely a commentary about the difference s between this body and the crimson-eyed children in the other part of the lab.

"I thought you would prefer to keep your current look. The ability to activate the red eyes and more are still present."

The king's tone implied that he should be grateful for his thoughtfulness and Kyoshiro murmured a soft, "Thank you."

"Now. Since you have seen what I have in store for you, I see no reason to delay in housing you in your new home."

"Or course," he replied, as if it were perfectly reasonable for him to take over a body he had just met.

"Your cooperation is appreciated. Please don't forget though that - while your body will no longer be the same flesh as mine – your soul is still a part of me as well."

A warning.

' _Don't cross me Kyoshiro.'_

The abyss yawned before him, his feet were at the edge of the circle on the floor. The point of no return.

"Synchronizing body and soul with take a while, I think," the king addressed Hishigi.

"Yes, my lord" came the reply.

"Then I think I will pay Kyo's human a visit. I would like to know more about her. She should be waking up shortly, correct?"

Kyoshiro could feel the king's boring into his back. Watching him closely to see how he would react to the thought of his sire being alone with his friend. He kept his mind blank and stared straight ahead.

"Yes, my lord," Hishigi said again.

"Then I'll leave him to you, Hishigi. I always enjoy seeing the results of your work."

"You praise me too much, Sendai-Sama," came the humble reply.

Kyoshiro's vision swam for a moment and then he took a deep breath and a single forward and off the edge of the precipice.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sheesh, the suspense is killing me and I'm the author! ^_^

Man, Shihoudou is such a cougar. Looking back at the manga, she totally gave Kyo a taste of his own medicine when she was groping him. Maybe that's why I like her so much. Hopefully I am doing an alright job of showing that Kyo being in his real body makes a difference in his fights with the Mibu unlike in the manga where he was weaker because of being in Kyoshiro's sick body. I also hope I am conveying that he is a bit more mature at this point than he was in the manga due to his relationship with Yuya and the kids.

I wanted to have more action in this chapter but plot development calls. More of the fight will come in the next one and maybe Yuya will meet the king at last.

As always, please let me know your thoughts and thank you so much for reading.


	50. Greetings and Graves Part 1

**Thanks to:** **DebyMU** (Glad you like where the story is going. Most of your questions will be answered in the next few chapters and yes, Nobunaga is still alive.), **Azure** (Shihoudou is a mess but that's why I love her. Shinrei is Shinrei. He's so serious and proper that I can't resist teasing him. I'm happy Kyo's maturity is coming through and that you like it. I always worry about ruining his core character while trying to make him grow as a person. As for what will happen to the children, you'll see. I won't kill them, I'm not quite that heartless. Kyoshiro coming face to face with himself was creepy even for me.), **lmamc** , **itsJestinerose** , **Yira** (I'll be answering a bunch of your questions in the coming chapters. Yes, Yuya will eventually meet Sakuya and I'll show what happened to everyone else too. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter.), **general zargon** (I love making people laugh and proper Shinrei is cute to me. The king will eventually get what's coming to him, no worries there. Thanks for catching the typo.), **J Luc Pitard** (I like that you enjoyed the way I got around Kyoshiro not having Kyo's body in this fic. Shihoudou is an awesome character and it's true that you don't see a lot of powerful _and_ well done females of her caliber in most media. I think one of the few other exceptions to this was Makie from Blade of the Immortal who legitimately was the strongest fighter in the series.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Five**

 **Greetings and Graves**

 **Part One**

" _Why are you crying, Yuya-Chan?"_

 _The sound of Nozomu's voice cut through her noisy sobs and the warmth of his hand on her shoulder startled her._

 _Yuya sucked in great, hiccupping breaths, trying to bring herself down in order to give him an answer. She was crouched on the ground and her hands clenched and unclenched in the fabric of her kimono as she stared at the tiny body laid out on the equally small blanket._

 _She had stolen the square of fabric from her doll to wrap the injured bird in for warmth, figuring that her toy could do without for a while. However, the sparrow didn't seem to be doing any better and its inevitable death loomed before her. The weight of Nozomu's hand was still on her shoulder and she leaned her head over, pressing her cheek against it._

 _Hope blossomed for a moment as she basked in his presence. Perhaps her brother could help the poor bird. Didn't the people in the village call him "Lucky No-Chan" because he was a miracle worker?_

" _The birdie is hurt Nii-Chan and I can't make it better. Can you save it? Pretty please?"_

 _The child lifted her head and stared at him with blurry eyes and wet cheeks and he stared back at her with a resigned expression on his face._

 _He bent down and she snuggled closer to the heat of his large body, certain that he would succeed where she could not. After all, he was her hero - her big brother who never let her down._

 _He reached out with two fingers and stroked them over the bird's back with a light touch, as soft as a whisper. Because she was leaning against him, she felt a strange current that made the hairs on the back of her stand up and she wondered what it was. It wasn't the first time she'd encountered it by coming in contact with her sibling and she turned her head this way and that, wondering what caused it._

" _I'm not sure there's much I can do, Yuya-Chan," Nozomu said gravely._

 _She shook her head vigorously in denial as she said, "I don't want it to die! Can't you do anything? Can't we even pray and wish for it to get better?"_

 _He let out a long, tired sigh in response and looked at her with eyes that were very sad as he replied, "Sometimes things aren't that easy."_

" _Why not? Can't God do anything?"_

" _Yuya-Chan, in this world there are many gods. However, the one I am most familiar with is….complicated."_

 _Even though she didn't know the exact meaning of the word "complicated", the gravity in his bearing kept her from asking him to clarify. Instead, she extended her arms and carefully scooped the blanket and bird up, depositing her frail burden onto her lap as she waited for him to continue speaking._

 _The muscles around his mouth flexed and she understood that he was trying to work out what he would say next. Her natural, childish impatience urged her to make him spit the words out but reason prevailed. Nozomu would clam up if she pushed too hard and she valued everything that came out of his mouth. He was her brother, confidant, and only friend and she hated the thought of being a bother to him._

" _It's probably foolish of me to say this but perhaps it will help if I elaborate."_

 _He reached over and stroked her head gently as he said softly, "Let me tell you a secret."_

 _ ***End Dream***_

Yuya woke up to the feeling of being displaced. As if she were someplace she didn't belong.

There was a gauzy canopy embroidered with flowers overhead and the air was perfumed with the scent of herbs, similar to how it smelled after being treated by a doctor.

' _Was I ill?'_ she wondered, following the trail of the filmy fabric with her eyes as it flowed from above and draped around the edges of the bed she was in.

And speaking of the bed….

She shifted and sighed in pleasure. The bounty huntress was quite sure that she had never slept on such a comfortable piece of furniture in all her life. As a commoner, she was used to thin futons and hard pillows and it was a sinful luxury to be nestled in something that only the wealthy could afford. There were white pillows beneath her head and scattered about like silk clouds and, much like the child version of herself in her dream, she rubbed her cheek against their slippery softness. The sheets slid over her hips and she reached down to rub her hand over the fabric, marveling at how fine it was and the fact that she couldn't feel the individuals strands in the weave of it.

Her surroundings were ignored as she sat up and shifted her legs beneath herself so she could lean forward and follow the covers with her hands, sucking in her breath when the light hit the cloth just right and gold winked back at her. There was stitching there, beautiful intricate swirls of gold thread that formed flowerlike patterns. It was all very exotic and opulent and she tried to remember how she had come to be here.

Sitting back on her calves, she reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and paused. Now that she wasn't drooling over the bed, she had time to take stock of herself and realized that her clothes felt different as well. Looking down, her eyes widened in shock at what she was wearing. It was a filmy thing that was of modest length but completely transparent and cut very low across her bust. Staring down at the flowing bit of nothing, she squinted in surprise at her belly and slid a hand down to rub across the spot where her old scar had been.

Instead of a jagged ridge, smooth skin met her fingertips beneath the fabric and she wondered what could possibly have happened. Her first thought was that maybe she was dead and had been sent to heaven. Her second thought was that Kyo would love to see her in this. She could just imagine what he would do if he caught sight of her in this naughty gown.

Even picturing what his reaction would be brought a blush to her cheeks and she pressed her hands to them, thinking that perhaps she wasn't in heaven after all because her thoughts were pretty earthly at that moment.

So, if she wasn't dead, then where was she and what had happened? Closing her eyes, she tried to pull her memories up and was assaulted with the sensation of blinding pain in her side. Her hands automatically flew to the area and she froze, realizing that the hurt was only in her head. An echo of the past.

Like looking through shards of shattered glass, disjointed images came back to her. Nozomu was alive but he wasn't Nozomu. Akari staring in her direction with a cold expression on his face. The sound of Kyo's voice raised in anger. Aiko clinging to her while her fear locked her in place. Kyoshiro's eyes full of concern. Raising her hand to look at it, she stared at her fingers and recalled the feeling of touching and pushing away a tiny body before the pain came.

Her daughter had been in danger. She couldn't let her be hurt. A spear went in. A spear came out. And then she was falling backwards and the ground was wet beneath her. Blood in her mouth. Blood spreading beneath her.

Cold.

It was so cold and she was dying but her lips were moving on their own. She was apologizing and telling Kyo not to worry but she wasn't sure he could hear her. Her voice wouldn't come out from underneath the blood filling her throat and choking her.

Nausea rose up and Yuya swallowed a few times as she drew her knees up and clutched at them, rocking back and forth while she drew in as much air as she could to settle her stomach.

It hadn't been a dream. She _had_ been dying. And for the second time in front of Kyo.

' _Oh, my Kyo. My love. I didn't mean to hurt you,'_ her vision blurred and she let go of her legs so she could swipe at her tears.

Even though her husband kept so many things to himself, one thing had always been clear after they'd been reunited and that was that seeing her hurt years ago had been devastating to him. It was a deep, personal failure for him. And because of that, he always touched her when the opportunity presented itself and always kept her close. She knew that it was because he was afraid she would go away again.

Misery descended and she sighed, feeling awful about what had happened. Even though she didn't see how any of them could have prevented what happened, she couldn't stomach the thought of being a source of hurt for the person she loved most.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she actually shrieked a little when a hand with a clean handkerchief appeared in her vision and a gentle voice said, "What a kind and thoughtful child you are. Most unusual for a human."

Yuya jerked away from the appendage and fumbled for her gun in reflex before remembering that - unless it had been smuggled in between the cheeks of her butt - there was no place for her to hide the firearm in this see-through getup she was in. With that realization, she squeaked in embarrassment and crossed both her legs and her arms to keep her visitor from seeing more than he ought to and glared at him.

He merely stared back at her and she blinked as she took in his comically thick glasses and messy red hair. He was garbed in the robes of a scholar and, like everything else she'd seen since waking up, the material it was made of was very fine, although slightly slovenly. If she looked closely, she could see smudges of ink here and there on his person and there was a tiny rip on the sleeve next to the hand holding out the handkerchief.

In his other hand was a book that looked about as old as Muramasa and the writing on it was a form of Japanese but it was a version that she didn't quite understand, likely something else from long before her time. Everything about her visitor screamed out of date and a little sloppy, a man in splendid disrepair like most of the architecture she had seen since entering the Mibu lands.

He waved the silk square a bit in invitation and she blushed, realizing that she was staring and possibly being a bit rude. In her defense though, she didn't really qualify as being dressed and she wasn't inclined to forgo modesty for a stranger who didn't even have the courtesy to introduce himself.

As if he could read her thoughts, the odd man smiled and said softly, "It's been a while since I've met someone new from the outside world and my manners are a bit rusty. Perhaps you would like a moment to collect yourself?"

With that said, he laid the handkerchief down on the bed next to her and stood up, setting his book down on the stool he had just vacated. Turning, he walked across the room, avoiding the expensive furniture decorating the room – Yuya was starting to notice a running theme with how wealthy the clan was – and went over to the spacious window which was covered by thick shutters. She took the opportunity to gather the sheets up so she could drape them over her shoulders and obscure her form from the stranger before dabbing at her moist eyes with his silk offering.

In the meanwhile, her visitor reached out and unlatched the shutters, pushing them outwards and letting in the sunlight. Yuya was blinded for all of one second by the rush of light and yet, all it took was a single blink for the man appear next to her yet again.

She neither saw, nor heard him move. He simply wasn't there and then he was. A shiver of unease went down her spine at his inhuman movements and she clutched the sheets even tighter around herself. There was something faintly terrifying about him and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. He wasn't being overtly threatening but, she had the hardest time nailing down his presence. If he weren't standing in front of her, she wasn't entirely sure she would have been able to detect him with her other senses.

Licking dry lips, she watched as he gracefully seated himself again and relocated his discarded book to a nearby stand before he took to staring at her again.

"Are you a ghost?" she asked and red brows rose over the top of his glasses in surprise.

An amused chuckle escaped his lips – they were surprisingly well-formed, she noted – as he replied, "I don't believe I've ever been accused of that. You are certainly an original."

"Then who are you? How long have you been here? And is there something on my face? Is that why you keep staring at me?"

"I am merely curious. By nature, I am a scholar and I can't help but to examine the new things I come across. Surely you understand that, miss?'

Yuya wasn't entirely sure she liked him referring to her as a 'new thing', but she shrugged off her automatic offense and chalked it up to him possibly being some sort of recluse and therefore unused to the social niceties.

"As for how long I've been here, I have been waiting for you to wake up for the past hour."

That was even creepier than him just staring at her a moment ago and she raised the sheet up to hide her face, recalling her childish jaunt across the bed on all fours to feel out the pretty sheets. That meant he had probably gotten an eyeful of her rump and she groaned at the thought of being in such an undignified position in front of a total stranger.

He laughed again and she wondered what he found so funny. Her rear couldn't possibly have been that hilarious. And why did she feel like he knew exactly what she was thinking when she thought it? What was it he said when he first made his presence known? That she was a kind and thoughtful human? She hadn't been thinking out loud, so how had he formed that opinion about her?

After what she had just gone through, Yuya wasn't feeling particularly charitable. She lowered the covers enough to glare at him as she said, "Usually I believe in being polite but I'm really not in the mood to sit around while you get all cryptic with me. I'm sure you are a perfectly nice person and I appreciate the handkerchief but I really need to find my clothes and then figure out a way to meet up with my family. I'm sure they're worried about me."

She slid her legs over the edge of the bed and made to get up only to find his free hand pressing down on her shoulder and his body uncomfortably close to hers.

"Ah, please do be careful. You are a guest here and it isn't safe for someone like you to wander about. After all, you just had a near death experience."

His voice and mannerisms were kind and filled with concern but there was something about them that didn't ring true and she felt a pang of fear. Yet again, she hadn't been able to follow his movements. One moment he wasn't touching her and then he was. She attempted to lean away to put space between the two of them and panicked when her body simply wouldn't budge for half a second until he released his grip on her shoulder.

' _Strong,'_ she thought to herself, unconsciously reaching up to rub the spot where his hand had been, as if that could erase the sensation of his touch and his disturbing familiarity with her.

Yuya knew that she was being allowed to move only as he willed it and she compressed her lips together and moved her eyes beyond him, measuring the distance between herself and the way out. She silently debated making a second attempt to get up but…shifting her eyes back to the red-head, she discarded the idea.

His demeanor hadn't changed at all. That serene face had yet to lose its smile and his posture was relaxed, unconcerned.

Because she was no threat. Because he could kill her at any time.

Like a butterfly she had caught once as a child that had frantically beat against the prison of her hands and injured itself in the process, she sensed that she would only get herself in trouble by not staying in one place as he was urging her to do. Just like that butterfly, her body was frail and easily crushed.

"Even though you use the word "guest", I'm really a prisoner, aren't I?" she asked directly.

"I prefer to see you as a visitor who is here for an extended stay."

"I suppose that sounds nice in theory. But I honestly just want to go and look for my family."

"There is no need for that. Assuming they survive, they will make their way here eventually. That _is_ why your husband is here, isn't he? To defeat the Crimson King?"

His voice remained calm but there was something about his tone that put her back up. Kyo was the strongest person she knew and yet this odd man seemed to find the very idea amusing, as if her husband was unimportant.

Weak.

"He _is_ going to defeat the king," she said confidently, giving him her fiercest stare, and his stance subtly altered.

It was only half a millimeter but his smile fell – a crack in his mask - and those brows lowered behind his glasses. She wished she could get a good look at his eyes because it would make him easier to read but the light reflected off of his spectacles just so and obscured them from her.

However, as the air around him grew heavier, she concentrated on sitting tall and weathering his displeasure. Although she freely admitted to having many faults, her confidence in her husband's strength was not one of them. She was proud of her marriage to him and proud of his abilities and growth as a person. That _anyone_ would look down on him was something she was not prepared to tolerate.

The bounty huntress could feel her visitor willing her to back down and retract her statement and she swallowed the automatic fear that clawed at her with ever increasing urgency. His presence was something else entirely - different from anything she'd ever felt - and her hands shook with the effort of holding her head high and meeting his stare.

Whoever he was, he was obviously a Mibu clan member. Garbed in fine, albeit sloppy, clothes and sensitive to anything that might be construed as an insult to his god, especially from an "inferior" human. From what she could tell, the Crimson King was the be-all and end-all to the Mibu and for her to say that Kyo would beat him was blasphemous. Truly, she didn't mean it as an insult but, no matter what happened, she was rock solid in her belief that Kyo would accomplish whatever he set out to do and that it was her job to support him no matter what.

They stared at each other for a long minute until his lips curved upwards again and then some and she clutched the covers even tighter because it was not a pleasant look. In her line of work, she had come across far too many people who could smile like an angel while slitting your throat.

Sometimes the kindness of strangers was nothing more than a ruse.

"How curious. It is rare to see such conviction about what the future holds. Is this the confidence of a woman in love? Or is there _more_ to it? Do you have a gift as well, like your sweet daughter?"

That he clearly knew so much about herself and her family while he hadn't deigned to give her his name in return – something she was convinced was on purpose now – was frustrating. However, she refrained from giving him a further piece of her mind. Just because she was scared, that didn't make her stupid and she couldn't see her family again if she got herself killed by mouthing off to this man who clearly felt that letting her live was some sort of indulgence.

"I don't know about having special powers," she said carefully, lowering her lashes to conceal her eyes from him, "I just know that Kyo won't sit still while I am here and that he _will_ continue to get stronger."

"Strong enough to beat a god?" he asked mildly…dangerously.

"Strong enough to do whatever it takes to be become the best," Yuya replied, lifting her lids again so she could punctuate her statement with another direct stare.

He raised his hand again and she refused to flinch when he brought it to her chin and held it between his thumb and forefinger. Tapping the pointer finger of his other hand against his lips in thought, he tilted her head this way and that as he examined her and she felt like a bug. Small and insignificant but safe as long as he remained curious about what made her tick and how she would react to him and his questions. Her life was literally in his hands and her skin prickled once he started examining her with his other senses.

She was familiar with the perimeter of ki that all warriors enveloped themselves with to keep a pulse on their surroundings. However, even in this he was different as well. His perimeter felt like a thousand hands touching her all at once, gliding across her form and searching out every nook and cranny to figure out her secrets before probing even deeper. His ki sank into her pores and moved beneath her skin and she fought the urge to scratch at her arms and belly to alleviate the sensation.

He bent closer and the focus of his probe narrowed to a point between her eyes. He was trying to peel back the layers of her thoughts but, after living with Muramasa, she knew enough to keep her mind shuttered now that she had further confirmation that he _had_ been picking up on her thoughts. As her father-in-law had explained once, unless one was facing a powerful telepath, someone with an ability like Satori could only glean what she gave them. And according to Akari, true telepathy was a gift that belonged only to human shamans, not the Mibu.

' _If you really want a show…,'_ she allowed the words to trail off and dredged up a particularly vivid memory of Kyo and what the two of them had been doing back in his room in the Shogun's castle.

The man made a sound in his chest that might have qualified as a chuckle as he murmured, "Crude but clever. Kyo has rubbed off on you."

And then he abruptly withdrew his investigation and Yuya let out the breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding. She felt more than a little violated by his intrusion into her innermost person but she was still alive and so she would count her blessings.

His fingers left her chin and he sat back, folding his hands on top of each other as he said, "To all appearances, you are a normal human, Shiina Yuya. And yet there is something unique about you."

Yuya didn't bother to correct his use of her pre-married name since she had a feeling that he would simply pretend she hadn't spoken.

Instead, she replied, "There's nothing special about me at all. I'm pretty ordinary."

"Perhaps…," he allowed the words to trail off before tilting his head to look at her another way and changing the subject.

"Speaking of the name Shiina, it's one that I have not heard in some time. There was once a man who lived here named Shiina Nozomu. However, he made a number of poor choices and eventually ran away from the Mibu."

Yuya neither liked nor trusted where the conversation was headed but she played along and said, "That was my adopted brother. He was a very kind man and raised me as if I were his real sister. I find it odd that you would bring him up, though. Since you know so much already, you surely know that my brother was murdered and no longer exists in this world."

"True. It was a very tragic circumstance. He was an amazing person with incredible gifts that were irreplaceable."

Yuya grit her teeth and refrained from slapping the false sympathy off of his face. The Mibu clan had murdered him to bury their secrets and it was infuriating to be faced with someone who acted as if they cared when she knew they didn't. After seeing what the Mibu had done to Nozomu's body, her brother was a raw subject for her.

"Yes. He _was_ amazing," she said through tight lips, "Until you lot sent Kyoshiro to assassinate him. What exactly are you looking to find out about my relationship with him?"

"Patience is a virtue," he chided gently.

"So is getting to the point, not prying into the private thoughts of others, and not pretending that you don't already know the answers to your own questions."

She sighed and rubbed tiredly at her forehead as she continued, "Look, I already know that you are powerful. And while I appreciate the fact that my life was spared, I also know that the Mibu don't do favors for anyone out of the kindness of their hearts. Doubly so for humans like me. Please tell me what you want."

The young woman expected him to criticize her again but instead, he surprised by smiling – a genuine one this time.

"I can see why you appeal to Kyo so much. He always preferred the direct approach to difficult subjects, even as child," he said and she didn't think she was imagining the note of fondness in his voice.

There was something almost fatherly in the way he mentioned Kyo this time and it was not at all what she expected. As with all things Mibu-related, there seemed to layers upon layers that needed to be peeled back to get to the heart of a matter and she was not surprised to find that this strange man was no exception.

He paused for a long moment before coming to some sort of decision as he reached up to remove his glasses.

"Very well, since you want me to be direct, I will be. What I am, is the former Crimson King and the god of both the Mibu clan and humans, although your kind have long since forgotten about me. And what I want to know," he fixed her with red eyes that were every bit as brilliant as her husband's, "is what Nozomu told you about my secrets."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The air of the labyrinth was suffocating.

' _Much like death,'_ he thought to himself bitterly as he picked his way gingerly through the debris littered throughout the winding tunnels.

And he was very intimately acquainted with death.

In the back of his mind, he could feel the man who had stolen his body raging and he ground his teeth together and concentrated on the sole image that gave him the willpower to stay in the forefront.

Yuya being stabbed through the belly by Hishigi's favorite project, Number 13.

It was the only thing that could have horrified and woken him up enough to wrest control away from Nobunaga. Yuya, his sweet sister. Yuya, now a woman grown with children of her own.

Nozomu's dank surroundings retreated for a second and he smiled a little as he closed his eyes and pictured them. A handsome little boy and a cute little girl. He was an uncle twice over.

It was a cause for celebration and his soul relaxed, peace stealing over him at the thought that his sister had been able to start a family of her own.

With ruthless determination, Nobunaga's psyche surged forward and he quickly snapped out of his daydream. Quickly slamming his hand into the wall, he used the pain to focus his mind and heart so that he could continue to hold the reins of his body.

That the other man would take over again at some point was inevitable. As an onmyouji, he knew just how powerful a restless soul could be and Nobunaga would never be content as long as his grudge against Kyo went unsatisfied. A person's strongest traits were what defined them, both life _and_ in death, and vengeance and pride drove the Demon King harder than anyone.

' _You'll get your chance eventually,'_ he thought and the other man settled down marginally.

Nozomu sighed in exhaustion. All he needed was a little more time. Just enough to see Kyo again and tell him certain truths so that he could pass them on to Yuya.

' _Assuming Kyoshiro actually saved her,'_ he thought.

However, he could not sense her at all and that gave him hope. He did not believe she was amongst the dead but he was not willing to use more of his powers than was necessary lest Nobunaga use his distraction to regain control. Fubuki and Hishigi had done their jobs very well and his body barely acknowledge his right to be in it now, so thoroughly had they tuned it for the fallen nobleman's use.

That he was cognizant at all was miraculous and he wondered if his attachment to Yuya was what allowed him to cling to his old form. She had always viewed him as a hero and a savior when, in fact, it was the other way around. When he had been driven out of the Mibu clan by necessity and separated from Sakuya permanently, Yuya had been a godsend. Only a few days old and left at a shrine like an offering. Even if the truth was that she had been abandoned by uncaring parents, she had been his blessing. A light in that dark period of his life.

He loved her dearly. His sweet little Yuya.

Dark eyes examined the corridor that stretched before him and he paused.

' _I'll get nowhere if I keep going like this,'_ he thought to himself and he cautiously reached for the abilities that had gotten him in trouble with the Mibu in the first place.

Unlike the talent to see what the dead were up to which was a result of his training as an onmyouji, this was something that he had been born with. Sakuya had the much rarer gift of looking into the future but his was quite uncommon as well, the ability to peer into the past. He had used it to snoop about where he shouldn't and had paid a heavy price but now he needed it to find his way through the maze.

Taking a deep breath, he focused on his surroundings and before his eyes, a number of ghostly images rose up. For him, the past manifested as a series of apparitions that moved about their business, unaware that they were being watched by an observer in the present.

He sifted through the various afterimages, large and small, of the misshapen soldiers and other inhuman abominations who patrolled the labyrinth. They were the cast offs of the clan but they were still put to use in a place where they would be out of sight and out of mind. Layer after layer, he discarded the information he didn't need, allowing the unnecessary figures to dissipate until he happened upon a much smaller person.

This individual skipped from side to side playfully and he concentrated even harder to bring her into focus, solidifying her form until he could get a good look at her.

The moment he got a good look at her hat, he knew that it was Shihoudou and he watched as her previous selves walked past him again and again in either direction. She clearly knew her way around the labyrinth and he followed the version that was heading in the same direction he was already taking.

In the background, Nobunaga grumbled and he silently reminded the restless warrior that he was looking for Kyo as well and that he was the one who knew best how to use this particular gift. He was on borrowed time. Nobunaga was steadily eating away at his already tenuous control.

' _Just a little longer,'_ he silently prayed.

As he observed past-Shihoudou's body language, he knew the moment she caught wind of something unusual. Her body stiffened and then her steps picked up speed and he kept pace with her image, only stopping when he saw her draw her sword and aim it at the ground.

He paused the image and moved his eyes from the woman who was in the act of attacking the cobblestones to the floor itself. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and the vision of the pavers that had once been there disappeared into the yawning hole where Shihoudou's attack had obviously connected.

This was all very recent and he figured that there were only a few people who could draw out the Mistress of the Labyrinth who usually preferred to let the monsters roaming it finish off the unwary.

' _Kyo is down there. I know it,'_ Nobunaga was too close again and his feet moved forward without his permission.

Peering down into the gaping hole, he could clearly sense two ki's raised in battle and his alter ego started getting agitated.

' _She's going to take him from me. Kyo is mine! Take me to him now! Now! Now!'_ the Demon King thundered the command at him over and over and Nozomu had no choice but to comply if he wanted to accomplish what he had set out to do.

Since he needed to meet with Kyo again anyways, he did as he was bid and leapt into the hole, hoping that he would have enough time to do what needed to be done before he was permanently consumed by Nobunaga.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Soooo much more stuff coming up next chapter. I know you all are waiting for more Kyo and Shihoudou and it's coming in part two, I just ran out of space in this chapter. Also, I will hopefully cover what happened to the rest of the gang and Taihaku and Sasuke will show up again shortly.

Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughtse ben


	51. Greetings and Graves Part 2

**Thanks to:** **Azure** (I'm with you. The king is a real piece of work and yet he's so interesting. I guess if you go by the manga, he was supposed to serve as an example of how things fall apart when your light and dark sides get out of wack.), **lmamc** , **DebyMU** (Lol, you know Kyo would love to see Yuya in that see-through gown. ㈴1 Also, dank actually is a real word although one that is not common in day to day use. It means cold, damp, and musty rolled into one. I thought about having more on Yuya's past and having Nozomu use his powers but decided against it. He wants to tie up loose ends with her. Remember, he doesn't know what she knows about his past.), **general zargon** (Yuya has no time for riddles now that she's grown up. ㈴1 Growing older gives folks perspective and she won't make things easy. I always pitied Nozomu and felt he needed closure.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Five**

 **Greetings and Graves**

 **Part Two**

"I'll give you this, Oni-Chan," Shihoudou said, "You have real potential."

She punctuated it with a sword swing from the other side of the room and Kyo dodged the billowing blade of toothy clouds that snaked from the end of it and whipped towards him before tearing through the wall where he'd been a split second before.

He refrained from closing in on her, knowing that she was leaving openings on purpose to trap him with her enveloping clouds, and responded by sending a Mizuchi her way which she blocked easily.

His enemy smirked but it quickly faltered as she was forced to avoid the secondary blade that he had sent after the first or risk losing her head.

"Gettin' clever on me, Demon Brat. Auntie likes!"

Kyo didn't give a crap what she did or did not like but he was pleased to be making progress. As a child, he had keenly felt the wide gulf between the two of them when she threatened Muramasa and he had attacked her in response. As an adult now, the gap felt much smaller and he could tell it was closing the longer they fought.

To his eyes, she was slowing down in tiny increments but he knew that it was just him adjusting to her speed. At this point in time, her power was greater than his but his body knew that he was close. He would reach her level before long.

But catching up to her wasn't good enough. He needed to be better than her as well.

' _Good boy,'_ he heard a faint echo of the First King's voice in his head and grunted in response.

His sword was starting to become more chatty and he was trying to decide if that were a good or a bad thing. Of course, he wanted to get to the point where he could talk to his blade the way Shihoudou did but he wasn't keen on the idea of receiving "helpful" little comments from his so-called father in the heat of battle.

' _Get better then.'_

He didn't deign to offer a response and dodged as his opponent closed the gap between them and swung her sword at him. Unfortunately, she was faking him out and quickly reversed the direction of her swing away from him as she drove her fist into his right shoulder. He tried to go with the flow to soften the blow but was only partially successful and pain radiated down his sword arm.

A thick mass of clouds swelled along Kusanagi's edge and surged out, striking him in the stomach with the force of a club and pushing him across the room before slamming him into the wall. He tasted blood and squinted his eyes against the pain.

"Come on Kyo. You're one of the True Mibu. Can't you do better than this?"

There was that term again.

True Mibu.

His old man had used it and now Shihoudou was talking about it and it wasn't lost on Shinrei either.

"What do you mean by True Mibu?" he asked, stepping forward a bit from his position next to the twins.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to, Rei-Rei. Not unless you want me to rock your sheltered little world," the former Elder replied.

"Forget him. I want to know what that means myself, old hag," Kyo snapped as he pulled himself free of the wall.

"Little boys who can't even best their elders in combat don't get to demand answers," Shihoudou said, wagging a finger at him which only irritated him further.

"But, it sounds important. I've always wondered what makes Kyo so different from the rest of us besides his eyes," Shinrei said, apparently determined to get some answers.

Shihoudou only grinned in response and there was a hint of misery in the tilt of her lips that gave Kyo pause. It would seem that there was more to her reluctance to talk than a desire to send them running in circles.

"But…," the other man began again and Kyo cut him off.

"Stow it, Shinrei. She might be in disgrace but she was still one of the Taishirou once upon a time. It's their job to keep secrets from the rest of the clan."

Silver brows lowered as the other man's expression turned thoughtful. The old Shinrei would have protested Kyo's statement and said that it was impossible for the Elders to be keeping secrets from everyone else. Or, even worse, he'd probably have made excuses about how they had their reasons for keeping their own counsel.

Kyo gave him marks for maturing a little and graduating from the naïve belief that his superiors could do no wrong. Having spent enough time around the king and his Taishirou as a child, he had seen firsthand how despair had driven them down a dark path. The disconnect between what they wanted to do and what the clan wanted them to do was very real.

' _You can save them.'_

Well now, that was a new one from his sword. Outside of his family and his friends, he was no one's savior and he planned to book it out of the clan as soon as possible once he did what he came to do. Still, the closer they got to the former king, the more his memories came rushing back, including The Promise.

If there was one thing he was destined to do, it was to fight the king. So many of the conversations the two of them had were lost to time but he could remember _that_ particular one with crystal clarity.

" _If I should lose my way and my humanity fades, I want you to kill me, Kyo. Promise me you'll do that. Please."_

There had been a serene but sad smile. A voice laden with regret. And bloody red tears.

"Get your head out of the clouds, Oni-Chan," Shihoudou's voice snapped him out of his recollection and he quickly evaded the rush of clouds that followed.

"Oh, and pun intended," she finished, cackling at her own bad joke.

"Can you get any older and crustier, hag?" Kyo asked as he closed in again, quickly making a few mental calculations as he gathered his ki again for another attack and waited for his opening.

"Old and crusty is still schooling you, boy," she replied, nimbly dodging out of the way of his sword and smiling knowingly as she cut through his illusion.

"Honesty, Kyo. You are getting too predictable," she said casually as he continued attacking with another clone, keeping his real body concealed while he surrounded her with a dozen or so copies.

This was actually an idea he had gotten from fighting Yukimura. However, instead of moving so fast he created afterimages, he was using careful manipulation of his both his fighting spirit and the Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu Shin technique to craft illusions and fool her senses.

He allowed her to continue cutting through his clones while he gathered his ki for the second half of his assault and waited until he had her where he wanted her. She was very confident in her abilities, and rightfully so, but he was on a mission to move forward and he couldn't allow her block him indefinitely. Thus, he kept up his attacks until he was certain he had locked her into a very specific pattern of movement.

The time to execute his strategy came and he moved forward with deadly precision, intoning the beginning of his technique underneath his breath.

"Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu…," he stepped in behind his final illusion and swung his sword while raising his ki explosively at the same time.

Her reaction was instantaneous and predictable. She swiftly dodged backwards and upwards, bringing her sword around as she called out her attack.

"Ame no Murakumo!"

In the space of a moment, when her clouds were just starting to manifest, Kyo countered by completing both his words and attack.

"... Byakko!"

The sound of his white tiger's roar filled the air and Shihoudou's ascent was halted by the claw he had hooked around her the moment she dodged his last swing. Because her feet had already left the ground, it was impossible for her to find purchase and correct herself.

He pulled her in and her expression hardened as she redirected her attack towards the ground, twirling her clouds together so that they corkscrewed into the ground and slowed her descent.

It was a clever move and, had it been a few years prior, she would have broken free within seconds. But, he wasn't about to let her get away this time. He needed to win this, not just for the sake of Yuya and his children but for himself and what it would signify. She was his first hurdle to a different realm of power and if he couldn't take her head on physically – he was close but not there yet - he was certain he could outpace her use of ki.

If Suzaku could be transformed into a more powerful version based on the amount of ki and feeling he used on it, then couldn't Byakko become stronger as well? With Shihoudou's clouds occupied with prying her out of his tiger's claw, he did not worry about whether she would absorb his attack as she had with Suzaku. Rather, he expanded his ki into the vortex surrounding him and drew her in even faster, readying his sword as he stepped forward.

She saw where the wind was blowing and he had just a second to notice her twisting her body midair by altering the direction of her clouds before releasing her Ame no Murakumu completely as she whipped towards him. Because she avoided struggling against his attack, he knew she planned to break free the moment her sword arm was in reach of him.

At the speed at which she was coming in, he also knew she could lay out some serious damage and so he activated his final trick. She connected with the ground and rolled to soften the blow while simultaneously gathering her ki around her arms and expanding it rapidly to loosen Byakko's hold.

"Still not good enough, Demon Child!" she exclaimed as she stepped forward and sliced her sword across his belly, likely expecting to put an end to his technique before he could complete it.

He was prepared for that though and was gratified in the extreme when her eyes widened in surprise as his illusory form disappeared and the real him closed in on her from the side. With as much speed as he could muster, he raked Tenrou across her ribs as Byakko's fangs closed around her.

Blood sprayed and he slammed his foot down on top of her calf to stop the leg she immediately lashed out at him as she hit the ground – losing her hat in the process - and attempted to snap his shin bone. She was like the thing that just wouldn't stop and he felt a swell of both triumph and fondness as he bent down towards her, jerking his head back to dodge the last-minute fist she threw at him.

Slamming Tenrou down so that it sliced into the stones next to her neck, he leaned the edge against her skin and bent close again so she could hear him clearly.

"Still think I'm not good enough, old hag?" he asked with a smirk.

If she were anyone else, she would have raged at him, but her eyes were dancing in delight as she replied, "I think you'll do….Kyo-Chan."

It was the first time in his life he'd ever heard her use his real name – cute suffix notwithstanding - and a silent acknowledgement passed between them. He relaxed his blade, taking a step back to give her space.

"Aw, don't you plan on finishing Auntie Shihoudou off?"

He snorted in derision as he replied, "That would be waste and it would just piss me off anyways. I think you were still holding out on me at the end."

" _What_? _Me_? Don't be silly," she said with false innocence as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"Don't play, old woman. That attack with the clouds can't be your only one."

"Hmm, hmm," she hummed teasingly as she crossed one leg over the other.

A sly gleam appeared in her eyes as she said, "I have plenty of tricks left but that technique _is_ my signature and you fought it off admirably by using that handsome head of yours. You leveled up Kyo and showed me what I was looking for."

"Remind me what that was now."

"I wanted to see why Muramasa put so much faith in you and I wasn't disappointed. You just confirmed for me that prolonged battle only makes you stronger by leaps and bounds. I'm not interested in putting that True Mibu blood of yours any further to the test. I'll leave that to my old friends."

"So now you're going to explain to me what you mean by calling me a True Mibu, right?"

"Nope!" she replied cheerfully before clarifying, "That's something you're gonna' to have to find out for yourself as you get closer to the king."

"Now," she batted her lashes and lifted a hand, twiddling her fingers teasingly at him as she asked, "Feel like giving Auntie Shihoudou a hand up? I _am_ still a lady."

Kyo spat on the ground and sheathed Tenrou as he replied snarkily, "Hearing you call yourself a lady is a bad joke. Don't get disgusting and start acting helpless on me now, hag."

"I love you too, Oni-Chan. Always a gentleman," she said with a grin as she bunched her legs in towards her waist and snapped them outwards with enough momentum to land her on her feet without her doing a thing with her hands. The former Taishirou was obviously none the worse for wear and she hummed happily as she sheathed Kusanagi and examined the wound Kyo had inflicted in her.

It wasn't particularly deep and she was positively ecstatic as she said, "I love the control you showed when you gave me this. Any harder and I'd be in much worse shape. Any softer and I'd have taken advantage and roughed you up, kid. Gotta' admit, you were pretty sexy. Are you sure you don't want Auntie to show you a good time?"

"First off, I don't know where you've been. Second, I already have someone."

"Yeah, I know. Your cute little human wife," she said mockingly and Kyo fixed her with a glare that clearly conveyed that Yuya was off limits from her joking.

The former Elder sighed and said, "Lighten up, kiddo. I don't hate the girl. Especially if she's the reason you are getting so strong. However, now that you're here, I have a few things to show you. That includes you three over there," she crooked a finger at Shinrei and the twins.

" _And_ , it also includes your buddy watching from above," she raised her voice and directed her gaze upwards and Kyo followed it to the hole in the ceiling.

He could just make out the silhouette of a man there and he frowned as the person took a step forward and dropped nimbly to the ground not far from where they were. Tenrou was out in a flash and he glared fiercely at the intruder who held up his hands in a peaceful gesture.

"Came to let me finish killing you, Nobunaga?!" he asked harshly.

"I'm not Nobunaga at the moment, Kyo-San, although he is desperate to take over right now. It's truly me, Nozomu," the other man replied.

Kyo was instantly mistrustful of the truthfulness of his statement but he had to admit that the air around him was completely different. Nobunaga's aura leaned heavily towards violence and anger - even when he had pretended to be Nozomu for Yuya - and yet, there wasn't any of that at the moment.

In fact, it was the same as it had been when Akari ran Yuya through and the other man had snapped out of Nobunaga's control and cried out her name. Too, it was the same as when the man had truly been alive years ago.

As he examined the shaman, he was examined in return and the longer her stared, the more certain he became that it truly was Nozomu. The earnestness about him was the same. He was a man who was very serious and Kyo knew that he had cared deeply about his sister. That made it even harder to watch as his face contorted ever so slightly every few seconds as Nobunaga attempted to claw his way to the forefront. Even a blind man could see that Nozomu's control was tenuous.

"I think I'll leave you two alone for a moment," Shihoudou said, demonstrating one of her rare moments of tact as she stepped away.

The two continued to stare at one another and there were a multitude of questions swimming in Nozomu's dark eyes. Kyo headed them off by saying, "Keep it to the basics, man. We both know you don't have much time."

"Of course. I wanted you to pass on a message for Yuya. I never got to tell her that I'm not her real brother."

"She already knows," Kyo said.

"She does?! How…how did she react?" he asked cautiously. Kyo knew he was dying to know how she had found out the truth but he was picking his questions carefully.

"She was really upset. Felt as if her family had been taken away from her at first, in fact. I…offered to give her a new one," just thinking about how he had proposed was embarrassing.

He was no good with mushy things but her happiness at the prospect of marrying him had helped a great deal and he had been glad once it was all said and done.

A knowing smile graced Nozomu's face and Kyo scowled in response as he muttered, "She still misses you though. Next question."

"It's not a question, really. I wanted to explain how I came to leave the Mibu and adopt her. I was a servant of the Mibu for years. The strongest shaman they had ever had in fact and a powerful onmyouji at that. However…I became greedy and resented the fact that, no matter how powerful I was, I was expected to subject myself to the Mibu clan simply because I was an inferior human."

Kyo had a hard time imagining the mild man he had met as a power-hungry servant being driven by his ego.

"I made a grave mistake though. I decided to use my powers to look into the past of the former Crimson King and discovered tragedy the likes of which I had never encountered. I…discovered the king's deepest and darkest secret."

"And that is…?"

"Something I can't tell you because it will put you and anyone else who hears it in danger and I won't do that to the people Yuya loves."

"Wonderful," Kyo said sarcastically but he did not prompt him for more information. He could see change rippling across his features and knew Nobunaga was getting ever closer.

"I found Yuya abandoned at a shrine after I left and, as far as I'm concerned, she's every bit my sister as much as Sakuya is. Can you tell her that?"

"Yeah," Kyo said, watching in frustrated helplessness as his eyes went glassy for a moment before he refocused them on him with obvious effort. He thought about asking him if he had looked into the past to determine who Yuya's parents were but decided to let sleeping dogs lay. Time was disappearing.

"Also, that person who stabbed Yuya... Number 13."

"Akari," Kyo corrected him.

"No, that was the number Hishigi gave him. His birth name is Toukichirou. Did you kill him?"

"No," Kyo replied.

"It might have been better if you had. He's too dangerous. Hishigi molded him directly. Twisted him using his bad experiences with other humans."

His sentences were getting briefer and more disjointed and Kyo avoided disputing his claims. He'd already seen the night and day difference between the Akari he knew and the one who was under Hishigi's control. He was not looking forward to the inevitable fight with his friend.

"I know all that but we didn't expect him to turn on us so quickly. He and Yuya are good friends."

Nozomu perked up at that and smiled slowly as he said, "That's good. The rest of us shamans had given up on him. He wouldn't listen when we told him Hishigi couldn't be trusted. But he was so lonely. Yuya is a miracle, isn't she?"

His tone was practically worshipful and Kyo could see where Yuya had been so much more to him than just a little sister. She had truly been all he had to live for over the years. Even this brief interlude, where he fought Nobunaga's wicked influence, was all so he could converse with him about Yuya.

He fell silent again and his eyes went glassy and Kyo saw the skin starting to pucker around his left eye, the beginnings of a burn mark starting to show through.

"Do you want to know about our brats?" Kyo prompted, figuring that it would bring him back to reality and help him rest easier in the afterlife.

Nozomu blinked and stared at him blankly for a second before he asked, "You had children with Yuya…right?"

"Over there," he jerked his chin towards the twins, who were watching their exchange with uncertainty.

With aching slowness, Nozomu turned to look at Aiko and Ryu and his expression was gentle and loving as he said, "Hello, little ones. I'm your Uncle. Nozomu."

Aiko clasped her brother's hand for support before asking, "Are you going to become a bad man again?"

Pain filled his eyes and Kyo thought he saw the glimmer of tears as he replied, "I'm afraid so. After this, I'm going to go far away. But I'm so happy to see you. The two of you are so… so beautiful."

The longing in his voice was heartbreaking. Just like Yuya, he just wanted a little more time with the people he loved and Kyo felt a surge of anger at the entire situation. Even if his bed was of his own making because of what he had done, he could see the goodness in Yuya's brother. He hadn't deserved to go out like he had.

"The girl is a shaman as well," Kyo said.

"Really? How…wonderful. But you can't let her stay here. It's too…dangerous for our…kind," his voice took on a dreamlike quality and his words were growing more hesitant.

Nozomu's stare grew faraway again and the Thousand Killer knew that he was right on the cusp of being unable to come back again. His hand absently reached down to toy with the hilt of his sword and the burn mark around his eye was becoming even more pronounced.

"I wanted to save you…for her sake. You know?" Kyo said softly, regretful at seeing this chance to change history passing him by.

The shaman blinked again and moved his head to stare at him for a long moment while his mind tried to catch up with what was being said to him.

"Ah, Kyo," he said lightly, as if he hadn't just been spacing out, "It was already too late the moment Kyoshiro came for me and my body was returned to this hateful place."

"But, I have no regrets," he finally settled his fingers around the hilt of his sword and drew it out, staring down at the blade with a look of admiration. Kyo held his own blade at the ready in case he flipped the script on him and went wild.

"You almost defeated Nobunaga the last time, but you were holding out, weren't you? You didn't want to kill my body in front of Yuya."

It wasn't a question and Kyo simply grunted in response. Unwilling to admit to his weakness for Yuya and making her happy.

"It's alright, Kyo. I don't need to peer into the past to know that you care for her. She's so very easy to love, after all. And I know that this is difficult for you. You want to put me out of my misery for her sake."

"And so," he tilted the blade, following the light that ran along the edge of it with eyes that were transfixed, "I will give the two of you my belated wedding gift and remove that burden from you, Kyo."

With ruthless efficiency, he turned the blade and plunged it into his stomach as far as it would go.

"No!" a guttural cry was torn from his throat and his face flickered between Nobunaga's features and his own.

A struggle ensued where his hands attempted to pull the sword free.

Nobunaga.

He pushed it back and said firmly, "Our time on this plane is over. Accept it."

Nozomu.

His ki rose and fell as the two souls struggled against each other and the Demon King fought, unwilling to go out without a fight while Nozomu tried to hold him off as long as possible to give his body a head start on dying.

A whimper sounded behind him and he turned to see Aiko crying as she watched the display with a stricken gaze. Kyo could only imagine what she was witnessing with her abilities and he made a swift decision. Since he was unsure if or when he would have to step in, he figured it was for the best if the little ones were out of the picture.

"Old hag, where were you taking us?"

Shihoudou pulled her gaze away from Nozomu and pointed towards a hole in the wall that they had created during their battle.

"We made a hand little shortcut, Oni-Chan."

He nodded and directed his eyes towards Shinrei as he commanded, "Take the kids and follow her. I'll catch up."

Shinrei didn't argue. He nodded and bent down to pick Aiko up with one arm before offering his hand to Ryu, who clasped it obediently.

His daughter buried her face in the other man's shoulder and peeked back at him with sad eyes as she was swiftly taken away.

' _Is that what fathers are supposed to do in these situations?'_ he wondered, feeling like he still had a long way to go to catch up to Shinrei in his children's estimation.

Shihoudou lingered for a second and said quietly, "Bring his body with you when you're done. I have a place for him."

He found it strange that she would care but he nodded and she made her exit through the hole with Shinrei and his offspring, leaving him alone with Nozomu to see who would come out on top.

The struggle was still on and Kyo interrupted it by saying, "Let him go and get some rest, Nozomu. I'll take it from here."

Yuya's brother stared at him with a surprised look and Kyo nodded his acceptance of this final duty.

"Thank you," he mouthed the words and then he closed his eyes and was gone.

Nobunaga took over with a vengeance then and his hands jerked the blade free as he brandished it and yelled, "Don't make a fool of me! We _will_ finish this, Kyo!"

"It's already done, old man. You aren't coming back from that wound and you aren't strong enough to beat me. The battle was already decided even before we all got dumped into this hole."

"I won't accept that. Now from a man who was too busy worrying about the feelings of a _woman_ ," he snarled the word like it was a curse, "to give me a real battle. I still can't believe you are so weak that you can't kill me because of _her_."

Kyo merely stared at him and felt something that could only be described as pity. Nobunaga only lived and died to fight him again and again. It all seemed very futile now that he looked at it but he could identify with him. They had been kindred spirits once upon a time. An empty boy who sought power and an empty man who fought to hold onto his. But he had matured past that while Nobunaga never would, at least, not in this life.

Perhaps he would in the next one.

Because Kyo had grown up, he knew he would give the bitter warrior the mercy he needed.

"If you want to die by my hand so badly, then come here, old man. I'll set you free," Kyo said, readying his sword.

He was in sorry shape with blood pouring profusely from the wound in his belly and his movements were painfully slow, especially in comparison to someone like Shihoudou but he still found the strength to smirk and gather his ki.

Although he shouldn't have been able to stand, Kyo admired the willpower that allowed him to stay on his feet and announce his final attack.

"Tenma Ryoga…," he choked a bit and blood bubbled from between his lips as he finished, "…Koran."

His voice faded on the last word but his apparitions appeared nonetheless and headed for Kyo.

If the distance between them had been far before, it was practically a ravine now and Kyo didn't even have to summon Suzaku to counter the attack.

"Muzuchi," he whispered the attack and cut through the apparitions with ease before closing in on his old nemesis.

Nobunaga saw him coming and his features relaxed, accepting his end with surprising grace as Kyo brought his sword down and cut him with one long stroke from his shoulder to the opposite hip. A spatter of blood landed on his cheek but he ignored it as his enemy fell backwards – wide eyes still fixed firmly on him - and landed in pool of his own blood.

Nozomu was gone. Nobunaga was following him. Kyo had done his duty.

For the first time since he had woken up, he was glad Yuya wasn't here to see this.

He flicked his sword to rid it of blood and sheathed it before reaching up with his sleeve to swipe at the splatter on his cheeks, pausing when Nobunaga spoke once more.

"Thank you, Kyo. I was afraid you were too weak to dignify me with a proper killing stroke. I thought you would falter at the end because of your wife."

Kyo stared at him, meeting those clouding eyes with his own before saying, "I'm still me. I just grew up and became a husband. It's a man's privilege to handle the hard things so his woman won't have to."

Nobunaga chuckled wetly as he said, "Who'd have ever thought you would grow up to be _that_ sort of man. But…it isn't bad, I guess. Your strength is still the real thing. I'll have to catch up with you the next time I'm reborn."

"And I'll be waiting for you, old man. Feel free to come back as many times as you like. I'll make sure I keep sending you where you belong."

The Demon King laughed again and then his eyes closed and he was gone as well.

He stared at that dark-clad body for a long minute, noting the strangely peaceful expression on his face which had reverted back to Nozomu's in death, before sighing and swiping his cheek to remove all traces of blood. It wouldn't do to reunite with his children with their uncle's blood on his face.

Striding over to the corpse, he bent down and scooped up his sword and thrust it through the tie of his kimono. Tenrou was deposited on the opposite side and he used his newly freed hands to lift up the body before turning to follow Shihoudou and the others through the hole.

It didn't take him long to catch up with them - they had paused halfway down the tunnel, just out of sight and sound of his battle – and nothing else was said as they continued on together.

They walked for a hundred feet or so before the former Elder paused next to the wall and said, "It should be here."

Cocking her fist, she thrust it into the wall with enough force to tear a large hole in the stones.

Drawing back her hand, she gestured towards the newly-made door and said, "Come on through but be warned that you might not like what you see."

Kyo and Shinrei exchanged a look and the former decided to precede the other man through the hole just in case he needed to fight again.

As he entered the portal, he blinked against the blinding wall of white inside and stared in awe at what looked like a graveyard of some sort. There were thousands of markers as far as the eye could see, fading away into darkness the further back it went. They were standing upright in what looked to be clouds and there were little bits of debris floating in the air, most likely disturbed by Shihoudou's punch.

Behind him, he heard Aiko exclaim, "Look Ryu-Chan, Shinrei-Sama! Flowers!"

He shifted his head and saw that she was sitting upright in the silver-haired man's arms and waving a misshapen cloud that she had snatched from the air. It did indeed vaguely resemble a flower.

On closer inspection, he saw that the mounds of white were also made up of the cloud blossoms and, since he knew of only one person who could create them, he turned his eyes towards Shihoudou.

She caught his eyes and pasted a smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes as she strode forward and touched a marker.

"I'm sure you recognize a graveyard when you see one, Oni-Chan. This here was a failed experiment. He was pretty blue scales and bat wings."

Skipping over to another one, she said, "This one here was a shaman. A little boy who could lift things with his mind. He had lovely brown eyes. Like a little puppy."

Pointing to another, she continued, "That one over there is someone who came from the forest. He could breathe fire and Hishigi wanted to know how. He had six arms too which was really cool."

She made to describe another grave but Shinrei interrupted her and asked, "Do you remember all of these people."

"Of course," she replied cheerfully, "I buried all of them myself - which wasn't easy mind you. I thought I was going to die because it was soooo much work but remembering them is the least I can do."

"Ah, but I made the graves as pretty as I could," her face was bright but Kyo wasn't fooled.

"The strange old lady is crying," Aiko said in a loud whisper to Shinrei and Shihoudou glared at her.

"Am not! Brat!"

"You can't hide things from her, old hag," Kyo said, "Like I told Nozomu, she's a shaman too and she knows exactly what you are feeling."

"Eww, how inconvenient!" Shihoudou exclaimed, taking her hat off and crossing her arms over it, hiding most of her face with the contraption in the process. She only left enough space to peep over the edge with a resentful stare at Aiko.

"Shihoudou-San," Shinrei said softly, bringing her attention back to him.

"What is this place?"

She held his eyes for a long while before sighing and lowering her hat again as she said, "This place…is the real face of the Mibu Reconstruction Project. The results of our efforts to create a new race of gods."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

This was too dang emotional to write. Hopefully you enjoyed it though. Even more plot coming up.

Thanks again for reading and please let me know your thoughts. Your comments continue to help me fuel my fire for writing. =)


	52. Breaking and Mending

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter. I have so much more coming.), **DebyMU** (I am definitely going to include Julian's family. After all, someone has to watch the twins while Kyo goes off to kick butt.), **Yira** (The king is so creepy but still a lot of fun to write. It was always so clear to me that Nozomu adored Yuya and I always feel sad when I read the part in the manga where she is dying and he sends her back because he doesn't want her to join him yet. I'm still planning on covering what happened to everyone else, there's just a lot to cover here too.), **J Luc Pitard** (As creepy as the king is, he's also a lot of fun to write. Complex characters like him are my faves and SDK is loaded with them. I'm glad you liked the interplay between Nozomu and Nobunaga, it was fun but a little hard to write since I wasn't sure how it would turn out. On Kyo being all bloody, I think it's a miracle the clothes on the SDK characters can't stand up all by themselves with how much blood they have on them over the course of the manga. Ah well, I guess some points of realism just go out the window for the sake of plot progression.), **general zargon** (Glad you liked it. I always felt so very bad for Nozomu. The Mibu really did a number on him.), **Azure** (Closure is always a good thing and I have to admit that I went into this fic with the idea of giving out as much of it as I could manage, hence why I did Saisei the way I did in earlier chapters. I always felt so bad for Shihoudou as I think seeing so much death from the Project made her a little batty.), **jpage065** (Sorry I left it on such a sad note but thanks for the compliment. I'll cover Sasuke in a little bit.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Six**

 **Breaking and Mending**

What else?

The ultimate rhetorical question.

There were so many emotional nuances that could be expressed in those two little words. Confusion. Exasperation. Sorrow. Anger.

And rarely, joy. He'd never experienced that version. Happy surprises weren't for the likes of him.

Instead, there were a thousand and one tiny pains that had been wrought by those words. Little pinpricks on his heart and in his mind that had slowly been coalescing into disappointment and sadness with a finely honed edge of bitterness.

And beneath all of it, heartbreak was waiting for him with open arms, longing for the day that his world would fall apart completely. All he needed was for the foundations of his beliefs, his very way of life, to crumble away into nothing. And he was already on shaky ground.

The first crack showed up when Fubuki had used Yuya to humble Kyo and nearly killed their children at the same time - all while lying to him about his intentions.

After that, he had helped to steal one of those same children away straight after birth while his mother lay unconscious from a dangerous birth that could have killed them both. It was a dishonorable thing to do but he had been informed that it was for the good of the clan. A cure was just around the corner, he'd been told. They needed the child and the secrets within his very makeup that were his birthright from his father. Back and forth to the lab as one year became two, then three, and then four. All while he reassured Ryu that the aches and pains he endured while in Hishigi's lab were for the best. A little bit of discomfort with salvation for the rest of his family at the end and the boy had gone along to please him.

In exchange for that unwavering trust, Hishigi simply kept taking and taking from the child until he had almost killed him the last time. Pale and weak Ryu, limp in his arms and drained of blood. And _still_ the Mibu clan continued to die and no progress was made.

A new crack formed.

Then there was Aiko. The sweet child stolen away from her home just like her brother had been. Destined to grow into a legendary beauty with abilities that most members of the clan would envy. A shaman like all of the other ones who had come before her and been eliminated once their purpose was served. Hishigi took her away and almost killed him in the process because he had the audacity to interfere - to stand against the very idea of experimenting on yet another child. He had failed Ryu. He would not fail her.

However, he was too weak and Hishigi was too strong and she'd had to sacrifice herself for his sake. A grown man rescued from death by a child. Had it not been for the intervention by Sakuya – one of the only shamans who had not been killed by the clan and yet was forced to serve them – he wouldn't have known where to find her. But then he had gone to that horrific lab and seen her. Saw how close they had come to breaking her before her life had even begun. Saw that the threat of rape was very real. Saw her crying. Felt her pain and sorrow throbbing in his head like it was his own.

Shinrei could not remain detached, his heart was not made of stone. She had trusted him and he would not fail her a second time.

Another crack appeared - marching across his faith in the clan and chipping away at his understanding of who and what he was.

He didn't think he could bear anymore and yet, through it all, that same question and variants thereof loomed before him.

What else?

What else could happen? What else could go wrong? What else was he going to find out?

He hated lies and yet they continued to pile up around him, trapping him in a web of deceit. The more he struggled against them, the more entangled he became and he was growing ever more weary.

And still, he couldn't stop himself from asking the inevitable question that came to mind after he heard Shihoudou's statement.

"What do you mean?"

Pause.

"Aren't we already gods? Why would the clan need to create new ones?"

Pity furrowed the space between the former Taishirou's eyes. Down it spread, altering the shape of her dark gaze and dragging down the corners of her mouth.

How he _hated_ that expression and what it signified. Poor, naïve Shinrei. Poor stupid Shinrei.

He bent down in response and set Aiko on the ground because he didn't want her touching him when he received the answer to his question. She would try to comfort him and he didn't want that from her or anyone else. He had his pride after all.

Although he didn't _want_ to hear her answer, he knew he _needed_ to hear it at the same time. The doubts had already been creeping in for a while and all he was missing was confirmation by someone in the know. If he wanted to move forward, he had to listen to what she said. Heartbreak before restoration. Pain to make him stronger. It was the lesson he had learned from his father and the one that had been reinforced by Fubuki.

"The Mibu Reconstruction Plan began as a way to cure the Death Disease and a means to hopefully bring back the people who have died from it."

Shinrei nodded. That was the official explanation that he had grown up believing.

"But, that stopped being the case a while ago. What the Disease is, Rei-Rei, is a flaw built into all of us. You, me, and every single Mibu clan member will eventually succumb to it. It's only a matter of time. Already, a fair number of the older clan members have died from it. Your father included."

Another nod. The illness had taken his father a decade prior although, at the age of 345, his sire only barely qualified as being one of the older ones. Certainly, he had been a babe in comparison to Muramasa who had a couple millennia under his belt or Shihoudou who was even older.

"The flaw is constantly reinforced in each generation since we don't exactly hook up with people outside of the clan," she continued, "And the sickness will continue to strike at earlier and earlier ages – doubly so for babies like you, who battle constantly. The more power you use, the faster it progresses. It's the cost of our so-called godhood."

It made a terrifying amount of sense and he tamped down the rush of panic that raced through him at the affirmation of his fears, that he too was doomed to get sick and die. No better than a human with their numerous frailties.

He had been there when his father drew his last breath and crumbled away to nothing. It was not a future that he would wish on anyone and, even worse, he felt that there were even darker truths ahead.

"If…," he began and then he paused, gathering his courage back up as he turned what he wanted to ask over in his head.

Off to the side, Kyo examined the graves, his back deliberately to him and he wondered if that was the other man's way of sparing his ego. Letting him have his pride while his world was dismantled even further.

Shinrei was both grateful and angry at the idea and he used that anger to push his next question through his lips.

"If the Reconstruction Plan is not to save the clan, what is it for? What sort of gods do the king and the Taishirou wish to create?"

Instead of answering him immediately, Shihoudou turned to stare at Kyo for a moment and he sensed that, as always, the answer lay with the notorious Demon Child. The other man was central to this the same way he had been central to Muramasa's defection and the upheaval in the clan that followed. Which begged another question. If Kyo was so vital, why had the Elders spent so much time keeping him separate from the rest of them? Even going so far as to lay the blame for the misfortunes of the clan at his feet.

"Rei-Rei, there are only two people who are immune to the Death Disease. The first is Sendai-Sama. And the second…is Kyo. What the higher-ups want is to create a new clan with people who are just like them."

On the Surface, it sounded almost reasonable. After all, if Kyo was immune to the sickness then it would be great to have the decimated clan repopulated with people who were equally protected. But…that left the question of what would become of the old clan members like himself.

If he too was fated to get sick and die, what hope was there for him and the rest of his friends and family? If a cure was not being worked on, were they slated to die? To be abandoned? Cast off as useless because of a flaw they had no control over?

The questions were there on the tip of his tongue and he tasted the bitter tang of realization. As he had in Hishigi's lab when confronted with the hard truth of just how far the Taishirou and his assistants had fallen, he tried to see around it. To see how his suspicions could be proven wrong.

"Surely they don't plan to leave the rest of us to rot?" he said, trying to interject a note of humor into his voice. Playing off the question like it was some sort of joke, something too ridiculous to be true.

The pity on her face deepened even further and the cracks inside of him grew even more numerous.

Her voice was uncharacteristically gentle as she said, "Do you know the law of Aokigahara, Rei-Rei? The strong survive…"

"…And the weak die," he finished, mouthing the words more than speaking them out loud.

The former Taishirou nodded as she said, "Haven't you ever wondered where the folks in the forest, our failures, got that from? The strong ones are kept in the clan, the weak ones are cast down here or dumped into the woods. _No one_ in the clan is protected from that law unless the king wills it."

Shinrei felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach again. In his world, reverence for and obedience to the king was an absolute. But his mind struggled and failed to understand what sort of person could reward their love with desertion. Their devotion with death.

Something inside of him broke and it took him a moment to realize that it was the last of his trust and faith in the Four Elders and the man who served as God to the Mibu clan – the Crimson King.

A sense of disorientation presented itself and his legs felt weak. Slowly, he sat down on the ground as he processed what he had just learned.

As if from a distance, he saw Shihoudou turn away with sad eyes and motion to a bare spot on the ground before drawing her sword. Kyo brought Nozomu's body over and laid it down gently before stepping back. Ki and clouds danced around the woman and he couldn't even muster up his usual interest as she solidified those atmospheric wisps into a shower of flower-like blobs to bury the corpse.

Meanwhile, Aiko hovered between him and her father, wringing her hands in consternation as her eyes darted from him, to Kyo and back again. In his head, her worry beat at him in uneven patterns, like a moth that kept crashing repeatedly into a window pane to get to the light on the other side.

"What's eating you brat? Like I need to ask," Kyo said to her, eying him with a look he had come to recognize as annoyance.

Shinrei might have spent his life being played for a fool by his superiors but he wasn't _that_ stupid. It was obvious that Kyo greatly disliked Aiko's link to him. He wasn't entirely fond of it either, especially when he thought of how it had been forged in the first place.

Like a bad play, the story of his life marched before him. From his realization as a child that Kyo wasn't truly a bad person. To the way he had allowed his father and Fubuki to beat that truth out of him both literally and figuratively. Just as he had in the lab, he felt as if he had been laid bare before her when he wanted nothing more than to have his emotions to himself.

He wanted to feel angry. Instead, he felt a deep sadness. A sickness of heart and spirit that dragged his gaze over the vast hills and valleys of the white graveyard Shihoudou had created.

So many lives had been lost to the project and he had probably contributed to those deaths by his blind belief in the infallibility of the Mibu clan.

Every self-righteous remark he had ever made to and about Kyo was there beneath those snow-like mounds. Every lofty proclamation about the glory of the clan that had ever passed his lips returned to haunt him. Every excuse and justification he had given to the people around him, especially Ryu, for why the Taishirou did what they did stared back at him with stark condemnation.

His conscience fairly groaned in agony and regret ate at him.

"Shinrei-Sama is very sad. I think he's going to cry too," Aiko said. Her answer came belatedly on the heels of her father's question – probably because she was too busy trying to pick apart the insides of his head and analyze his emotional state.

Embarrassment bloomed in the wake of that revealing and tactless reply - followed swiftly by anger and then resentment for her intrusion. He ignored the pangs of conscience that tried to remind him that she was only a child who didn't know better than to tell the truth.

Instead of exercising the patience that normally served him so well with this child who neither knew nor respected his boundaries, he allowed his ire to show.

"Leave me be, Aiko," he ordered in a low voice, almost growling at her.

Those too perceptive red eyes widened at this new side to him and _still_ she began again, "But Shinrei-Sama…."

Her emotions colored his own and his gaze sharpened upon her. Even she was feeling sorry for him and he couldn't stomach it.

"You aren't helping me!" he snapped at her.

"It's not…," his voice broke slightly and he hated it, hated the weakness and the vulnerability it revealed.

He forced himself to start anew in a hard whisper, "It's not _kind_ to tell everyone what others are feeling all the time."

Although his words came out softly, his statement was no less intense because of it. The look he leveled at her was full of censure and he silently willed the child to understand the nature of her transgression.

Aiko just stared at him with eyes that grew shinier by the minute and her lips quivered as her hand wringing intensified. In her mind, she was only trying to help. In his mind, she was only completing his humiliation. His mood slipped even further towards black.

Kyo was the one who rescued him.

"Leave him alone, short stuff. Grown folks need time to themselves. Come here for now. You too, brat," he motioned towards Ryu who was watching his sister and former master with concern as well.

The twins did as they were told and he felt a little relieved when Aiko's presence withdrew a little from his head as well. There was a small pang of guilt when the girl buried her face in her father's leg and he suspected that she was finally letting her tears fall but he tried not to dwell on it.

Instead, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tried to figure out what he was supposed to do with the poor hand he'd been dealt.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hotaru was lost. It wasn't an unusual occurrence and not particularly surprising either considering where he was. As a child, he had entered the labyrinth plenty of times to escape his father's assassins but he had never been in this part. Everything looked the same to him no matter how many corners he turned - dark stone walls and pavers with the occasional skeleton or bloodstain to break up the monotony of the décor.

Next to him, Yukimura hummed softly, as if they were on a stroll instead of traipsing through a death trap and Hotaru wondered if the other man would relieve his boredom by fighting with him? He hadn't fought him before and he knew the other man was pretty strong after seeing his battle with Kyo. Plus, he wanted to see his Sekireigan attack again so he could work out how to add it to his personal collection of moves.

He had encountered the other man shortly after waking up in the underground maze and following his senses to locate the nearest ki he recognized. Down here, the senses he had honed in his eternal quest to fight bigger and badder enemies served him well. Most fighters would not have been able to pick up the older man's ki when he was deliberately keeping it low to avoid attracting unwanted attention but he was not most fighters.

"What is on your mind, Hotaru-San," Yukimura asked after a while.

"Trying to decide if I want to fight you or find Kyo," he replied absentmindedly. He was preoccupied with playing the other man's fight with Kyo over in his mind and the more he thought about it, the more he felt as if he'd heard of something similar once upon a time.

Where was it from? Yun-Yun had mention it before, he was certain of it.

"I'm afraid now isn't the best time but I'll oblige you later when we aren't lost," his companion said.

Hotaru only vaguely heard him because, at that moment, a shiver of sensation danced across his skin and he halted mid-step.

Someone was using ki. Correction, two people were using ki. One he did not recognize but the other he knew very well.

 _'_ _Kyo,'_ his brain helpfully supplied the answer.

He stopped and turned around in a circle, trying to pinpoint the direction in which he needed to go to meet up with his friend.

 _Friend_.

It was still so odd to think of himself as having such a thing when he had spent so many years isolating himself emotionally from the people around him. He had wanted to find his strength in a different way from Shinrei who surrounded himself with comrades that he socialized with and fought for.

Who would have believed the day would come when their situations were reversed?

Now Hotaru had friends of his own and Shinrei was by himself now that Saisei and Saishi were dead and Chinmei and Taihaku were missing. The Goyosei were scattered and his hated brother was stuck with the very people he'd fought so hard against.

If his sibling drew his strength from the people around him, was he weaker now that he was alone? He didn't count Girl-Kyo or Mini-Kyo as companions because they were going to leave with their parents at some point anyways. That left a singular Shinrei who could no longer rely on his friends.

Perhaps he could take advantage of his weakness the next time they fought?

He warmed to the idea as he narrowed down the direction in which he needed to go and gathered his ki.

"Ah, Hotaru-San…what are you doing?" Yukimura asked, taking a step back as flames surrounded the blonde man.

He'd completely forgotten that the two of them were conversing just a few minutes ago and he didn't take his eyes off of the wall he intended to demolish as he murmured, "I found Kyo."

Swinging his sword when he had sufficient power gathered, he sent a spiraling plume of fire forward that tore through the stones and carved a path for the two of them.

Yukimura whistled low in appreciation and followed him when he was done as he stepped through the hole, minding the hot drips of stone that had liquified instead of being blasted forward. They moved quickly and soon emerged in a large room with a massive hole in the ceiling and a large red stain on the floor where someone had clearly shed copious amounts of blood.

"Someone was hurt here," Hotaru stated and his companion refrained from mentioning that it didn't take a genius to realize that. One simply didn't get snarky with a man who could melt rocks.

Casting his senses wide, he located Kyo and the strange ki again and entered one of the holes that had been punched in the wall by someone powerful.

Poking his tongue out from between his lips, he wet them as he warmed to the idea of perhaps fighting someone powerful at the end of this journey. However, he tamped it down a bit as he detected a few more ki signatures. Girl-Kyo and Mini-Kyo were there too. So was Shinrei and his target immediately shifted.

Fighting his stodgy brother always took precedence and his feel hastened of their own accord until they were standing next to yet another hole that had been punched in the walls. He had to admire the efficiency of someone who was sensible enough to make their way through the labyrinth by punching holds through the walls. To him, it sounded like a perfectly practical solution to getting lost.

Excitement started to course through him as he peered into the hole and spotted his brother sitting on the floor while Kyo stroked a hand over his daughter's head and chatted with a lady who wore a mushroom on her head. He squinted. Correction, it was a hat but she was so slim and lanky that he mentally dubbed her the Mushroom Lady anyways.

The Mushroom Lady paused in her conversation with Kyo and turned to look at him and Kyo did the same. A raised brow and a tiny nod was all the acknowledgement Hotaru needed before he turned to look at Shinrei again.

His older brother had yet to look at him and he frowned, wondering what had crawled up his butt this time. Usually, the other man went on the alert for a possible attack when they were together and he scanned the room, wondering at the mounds of white decorating it. Perhaps the weird flowers floating in the air contained some sort of drug that dulled Shinrei's senses and he walked further into the room with Yukimura in tow.

He took a step in Shinrei's direction only to find Yukimura's hand on his shoulder. Pausing, the fire-user stared at the offending appendage and debated cutting it off for preventing him from progressing. Something was very off about his brother and he wanted to know what it was. If it was weakening him, then he wanted to take advantage of it and if it was something else, he wanted to know what it was to ensure it posed no threat to himself or his friends.

"Think carefully about what you do next, Hotaru-San," Yukimura said softly before letting him go and Hotaru blinked, wondering what brought that on all of a sudden.

Shrugging, he sauntered over to his sibling and stopped in front of him, staring down at that bent silver head as he tried to work out what was wrong.

He was used to Shinrei being gloomy and overly serious but this was different. The air was so heavy around him that it made him uncomfortable and he was annoyed at being ignored. And he _was_ being ignored. His brother had shifted almost imperceptibly as he approached but he simply couldn't be bothered to raise his head to look at him.

It pricked Hotaru's barely existent pride and he decided that a bit of provocation was in order.

"What's the matter with you, stupid Shinrei?"

Nothing.

"Hey, pay attention, weakling."

Nothing.

"Dispstick."

Nothing.

"Old fart."

No response there either. Name-calling wasn't working so he decided to get fancier.

"Your girlfriend is a little girl."

Zip.

"I'm stronger than you."

Zilch.

"Fubuki's just using you and you're an idiot."

Shinrei flinched so minutely that he almost missed it. He'd struck gold.

"Your life is a lie."

Another flinch.

"You believe everything people tell you."

Shinrei stirred and the hands resting on the ground started to ball into fists.

"You're too weak to change yourself. I bet you'll just cry and lay down like a dog instead of fighting when the Taishirou turn on everyone."

That silver head snapped up and he expected to be greeted with anger at last but, instead, his sibling's face was pale – stricken - and his golden eyes had a dull look to them.

It made Hotaru's skin crawl and he took a step back, glaring at this unfamiliar version of his brother. He could deal with an angry or sanctimonious Shinrei but this air of utter despair was something else entirely. Unconsciously, he circled the other man like he would a wild animal as he tried to piece together what was going on.

He hadn't said anything that his brother had not heard from him before in a variety of other ways but he never took him seriously. What had changed?

Hotaru frowned in concentration and irritation. He despised complicated things and he shifted his grip on his sword, deciding that he should try to re-establish the status quo.

"Get up, Shinrei," he ordered.

Those lifeless golden eyes narrowed and their owner asked mildly, "Why?"

"We're going to fight."

Shinrei's lips twisted in annoyance and he replied, "We most certainly are not. Are you too stupid to read the situation? We are in a graveyard and I'm not in the mood for your petty rivalry with me."

"Oh, you have something better to do, like sulk? Or are you giving up? I win then!" he declared boldly and life flared briefly in his brother's eyes at the idea that he would dare to declare their feud over just like that.

The spark died quickly though and the water-user turned away from him to stare at the mounds of white and the markers stuck in them. Disappointment at the way he retreated from his provocation unfurled in Hotaru's chest and he raised his ki accordingly, willing to escalate things to the next level and attack first.

"How long have you known that the entire Mibu Reconstruction Project is a lie?"

The question was delivered in a quiet voice but it was a response nonetheless and he quickly dismissed the flames that were starting to gather around his sword.

An inkling of what was wrong with Shinrei came to him and he responded directly, "Since I came back from running with Kyo the first time and heard that our old man was dead and that everyone else was still dying. If we are gods and we're so much smarter than everyone, we should have stopped the disease already. I thought you already knew it was a lie. Isn't that why you ran off to save Girl-Kyo from Hishigi?"

"I've had my doubts the past few years but I didn't know the Taishirou had given up completely on curing us. They…want to replace us."

"Of course they do," Hotaru replied, wondering why his brother was speaking the obvious.

"Isn't that why they keep making new monsters in Hishigi's lab? If they have time to make new soldiers, they have time to fix the rest of us."

It was all so simple to him and yet, it was clear from Shinrei's pained expression that he hadn't had a clue. He had truly believed the obvious lie that the soldiers being created were a byproduct of the search for a cure and Hishigi and Fubuki's manipulation of life itself to that end.

"I've been trying to tell you this for years," he said, trying to decide if he should feel a sense of superiority over knowing something that his arrogant, know-it-all brother didn't or if he should be disappointed at how slow the other man was.

"I should have listened to you. Why didn't I?" that was a new one and Hotaru grew wary again. Shinrei never acknowledged being wrong, at least not in front of him, and it weirded him out.

"Because you're a snob. And you're stupid," Hotaru replied bluntly, hoping to get a rise out of him.

The water-user's expression turned wry and he gave a self-deprecating little laugh as he said, "Maybe you're right."

The creeped him out even more and Hotaru demanded, "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Do? Haven't I don't enough? Over there," he gestured at the graves, "are the bodies of all the people who have been sacrificed for the project. Whether directly or indirectly, I helped to contribute to this. I didn't stand up to the Taishirou or look deeper than the surface. I didn't want to see the truth."

He could tell his brother was about to go down another rabbit hole of self-pity and decided to interject a healthy dose of realism before he got even more annoyed at this bizarre version of his lifelong rival.

"Standing up to them would have only gotten you killed. Hishigi just handed your butt to you and they have the king behind them. The past is the past. Only what you choose to do now matters."

Hotaru silently congratulated himself on sounding wise and was rewarded by a startled look in those golden eyes. There was life in his brother yet and he was warmed by the sight. It was his job to defeat Shinrei. Not any other enemy, whether that opponent took the form of another fighter or his brother's own guilty conscience.

"That is surprisingly practical of you, Keikoku," he replied in an amazed tone that rubbed him the wrong way.

"That's because I'm smarter than you," he replied confidently.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Shinrei said dryly, "You still had to cheat off of my paper to pass the written exam to become a member of the Goyosei."

"I was saving my mental energy for the other tests," Hotaru lied baldly.

Shinrei snorted in disbelief and said, "I'm calling nonsense on that. If you're so smart, why did you challenge the king directly once you were a Star?"

"It was all a part of my plan. I wanted to test my strength," that was a partial truth. He wanted the opportunity to fight the king because he was the best of the best and he wanted to be one of the Five Stars because he didn't want Shinrei to get too far ahead of him.

The younger man saw no need to enlighten his brother about his other reasons and instead asked again, "So, what are you going to do? Roll over and die and let your _precious_ Mibu clan fall apart?"

He injected just the right amount of mockery into his voice on the word "precious" to make those eternally serious silver brows snap together in consternation. His brother lived for the Mibu and could always be relied upon to do what he felt was best for them. Wasn't him traveling with Kyo now proof of that?

"Of course not!" Shinrei replied sternly, "It would be a travesty to destroy everything we've worked for. We might not be perfect and we might not truly be gods but that doesn't mean we deserve to be abandoned. If the Taishirou and the king are not willing to find a cure and save our people, then I'll make it happen myself."

His eyes were aglow with fervor as he spoke and Hotaru suppressed a smile. Seeing Shinrei so lively again after being thrown off by his despondent demeanor earlier gave Hotaru a feeling of relief and restored his equilibrium. His brother was foolish and woefully inexperienced in life because he'd spent so much time isolated in the clan – the few occasions where he'd escorted Sakuya around amongst humans did not count. They were too brief and, all too often, they had stayed in high class establishments and kept to themselves. Hence, Shinrei was not as well rounded as him. But, despite the differences between his street smarts and his aristocratic older brother's book smarts, there was no one else who could motivate him the way Shinrei did - not even Kyo.

He didn't care about the glory of the clan but he did care about getting the best fight he could out of his sibling and he felt a sense of contentment when Shinrei climbed to his feet at last.

"Will you help me save our people, Keikoku?" he asked.

"It's Hotaru now," he reminded him again before saying, "No. I don't feel like tying myself down. I just don't love the Mibu the same way you do."

Disappointment flickered in those golden eyes and he mentally rolled his eyes before continuing, "Plus, I'm Kyo's servant now, so I have to go where he goes. Nobility and all that crap aren't my thing and I hate being tied down. But…I'll fight next to you as long as Kyo keeps aiming for the king."

It was a promise without being a promise because it went against his personal religious beliefs that Shinrei ought not to get his way at all times and that it was his role to drive the other man crazy before he beat him.

Still, he was almost happy when Shinrei sighed in a long-suffering manner and gave him an exasperated grin as he said, "I should have known you'd answer in the most contrary way possible.

Hotaru responded by digging the tip of his sword into the ground so that it could stand up on its own and said, "It's about time you used your brain to figure something out. Well done, stupid Shinrei."

He punctuated the statement with a patronizing slow clap and his brother shook his head in resignation at his antics before turning away to head towards Kyo.

Now that they were back to their regularly schedule enmity, they could press on without the other man dragging him down with his depression and guilt trips. All was now officially right in his world.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As old as he was and as used to waiting as he was, Muramasa found himself feeling restless after his visit from Fubuki. He felt as if something big was on the verge of happening but it was a something that was good for once. And he desperately needed a pick up, especially after he had gotten nowhere with his old friend.

For a while now, he had lamented the fact that he hadn't pushed Kyo to get stronger in exchange for cutting his life short the last time they trained together. But, such regrets were pushed aside for the here and now.

He was still _here_. So, what could he do _now_?

The air in the dungeon was as cool and still as ever and the silence was thick, oppressive. But, it was while he was in the middle of his brooding that a sound reached his ears. The scrape of stone followed by the creak of metal, but this came from another direction. The king and Fubuki had come from the direction of the stairs but this was from the opposite way - from the path that lead into the labyrinth because the king and his advisors saw no reason to wall it off when it was so hard – more like impossible - for prisoners to escape without convincing Shihoudou to aid them.

He had taken Kyo down that path himself twenty-six years earlier and he stood rigid, straining his ears to hear more and cursing the barrier that dulled his senses. There was a long moment of silence and then another scrape followed by slow, measured footsteps that he could only hear because he was still Mibu and because he was holding his breath.

Whoever was coming didn't want to be noticed and cautious hope sprouted that it was someone who could aid him.

It was dark down the hallway but he continued to stare into the gloom and was rewarded with the shape of a large man with a younger one walking next to him. Recognition rocked through him and he smiled as the two of them entered the light cast by the wall sconces.

It had been decades since he had seen one of the duo and only a few years since he had seen the other but he was happy nonetheless to know that he was in the company of friends again.

As the mismatched pair came closer, he stepped as close to the faintly humming bars keeping him inside as he dared and said, "It's been a while, my friends. What brings you here?"

Bright teeth gleamed in a smile against tan skin as Taihaku replied, "We've come both to get you out, Muramasa, and to have a few questions answered at the same time."

As if that were some sort of signal, the young man next to him stepped forward and Muramasa analyzed the changes adolescence had wrought in him. He was taller and most definitely stronger but, what struck him most was that he reminded him even more of Kyo now than he had as a child. And, given what he had discovered since coming here, he suspected that it was not at all a coincidence.

Now that Sasuke was older, he could better define what it was that set him apart from the other denizens of Aokigahara that he had met over the years. There was an energy that hovered about his person and he had the looks that all Mibu had which made them so fascinating to humans. Beautiful faces and an aura powerful enough to sway a bloodthirsty sword like Shibien.

In a word, the feeling he gave off was distinctly…Mibu. A powerful one at that.

"You want to know what you are, don't you?" he asked before the young man could say anything.

Those golden, cat-like eyes narrowed before he nodded and Taihaku placed a hand on his shoulder as he said, "It's best if you show him, Sasuke-Kun."

Another nod and then those unusual eyes closed and he felt a surge of ki. When they opened again, brilliant crimson irises were staring back at him and he sucked in a breath, meeting Taihaku's gaze over his shoulder.

"They're getting close, Muramasa-San," the head of the Goyosei said.

"It's not just a matter of being close, Taihaku," he said, thinking of his conversation with Fubuki, "They're already here and we are running out of time."

The big man heaved a heavy sigh and said, "I feared as much when Sasuke-Kun first showed me his eyes. He's sixteen which means they've been further along than we thought in years."

Sasuke turned to him and asked, "Further along in what? What do the two of you know about these eyes that I don't? Am I related to Kyo or something?"

"Or something," Muramasa replied before letting out a sigh and saying, "I need to get out of here. Our people need to be rallied so they can put up some sort of fight against the coming storm. I can't break out of here on my own and just the two of you aren't powerful or knowledgeable enough to make it happen. I can think of one person who might be able to help and I imagine he'll be glad to do it considering what he's lost to the king and the Elders."

He could see impatience written on the teenager's face and decided to set aside the matter of getting help for a few minutes to put the poor boy out of his misery about his origins.

"Before I send you off, I suppose it's for the best to explain those eyes of yours and where they came from. Without going into the entire sordid history of the current Mibu clan and our origins, let me tell you more about the Mibu Reconstruction Project and how it relates to you."

The boy, ever a person of few words, nodded his acceptance and Muramasa smiled as he began, "Let me tell you about the people who took it upon themselves one day to create a god…"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Before you ask, no I'm not going too deeply into what Muramasa is going to tell Sasuke as it's more or less a repeat of what Shihoudou told Shinrei but I will cover his reactions to the info later.

Next chapter we find out what became of Bon, Akira, and Benitora and maybe there will be an appearance by Kyoshiro and the former Crimson King.

Thanks again for reading and please let me know what you think.


	53. Grand Plans and Infiltrations

**Thanks to:** **Azure** (I agree, wholeheartedly that everyone needs time to themselves sometimes, although it's much harder when you are dealing with children. Glad you liked Hotaru being kind-of sweet. As always, the brothers are a lot of fun to write.), **lmamc** (Glad you liked it.), **general zargon** (Hotaru Is always fun to write and he's sweet in his own special way even though he's still an airhead. I'll cover more of Yuya and Akari in a bit, promise), **Yira** (Very true. I get to write a more affectionate/flirty version of Kyo in this fic because he's himself instead of being saddled with Kyoshiro. Without giving you a spoiler, there are plenty of fun times ahead for Shinrei, Aiko, Kyo, Muramasa and more in the distant future but it's not until the sequel. ;-) Hotaru can be sweet when he wants to be and I'm glad you liked how Shihoudou is written. Thanks for being so encouraging with your reviews.), **J Luc Pitard** (The thing I love about Hotaru is that he is great at cutting to the heart of things while Shinrei overthinks things and is run far more by his emotions. The brothers contrast really well with each other which makes them fun to write. To answer your question about whether Yukimura knows what Sasuke is at this point, he has a bit of an inkling because of where he found him but more confirmation and details are going to come for him soon.)

 **Author's Note:** According to the wiki, the king's real name is Mibu Kyoichirou. Also, sorry for the delay in this chapter. I haven't been feeling very well of late.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Seven**

 **Grand Plans and Infiltrations**

" _Your eyes…they're the same…as Kyo's!"_

 _Yuya's own eyes were huge in her face, making her look even younger, and he could see her hand jerk in reflex. Probably because she wanted to touch him to see if what he showed her was real._

" _Yes," he replied mildly, reaching out to grasp her left hand and bringing it up for his inspection. Her gaze turned uncertain at his touch, as if she could read his intentions._

 _His primary goal in visiting her in the first place was still intact. He wanted to know what she had heard about him after living with Nozomu for so long. Did she know who and what he really was? Had she relayed that knowledge to anyone else that he would have to take care of as well?_

 _Mibu Kyoichirou kept his touch light as he turned her hand from front to back, examining the healthy pink of her nails while running a thumb across her knuckles. Such narrow, fragile fingers she had._

 _Easily breakable if she decided to lie to him, although that was more of a last resort._

 _Because he didn't want to damage her permanently, he picked an appendage that could be easily mended. And he was even showing her special consideration in choosing her left hand instead of her dominant right one._

" _Are you afraid of me and what these eyes signify, Yuya Shiina?" he asked gently, even though he already knew the answer._

 _The muscles of her throat moved as she swallowed before answering honestly, "I would be a fool not to be."_

 _A smile touched his lips and he was pleased at the way it unnerved her. One-on-one, most humans were easily manipulated when faced with someone far greater than themselves._

" _If you are sensible enough to fear me…please be sensible enough to answer my question. What did your brother tell you about me?"_

 _He squeezed her hand very lightly and she gasped in pain as the bones ground together._

" _I…I don't remember," Yuya said breathily._

" _Oh? How strange. I caught bits and pieces of your dreams before you awoke. Something about Nozomu Shiina and a secret he imparted to you about his God."_

 _He flexed his hand just a bit and she flinched as she replied, "I mean it when I say I don't remember."_

 _There was truth in her statement now, but what about later? What other tidbits would surface if he left her alone? Another thing about humans was that they had a penchant for remembering even the most obscure things when under duress._

" _Try harder," he ordered in an even gentler tone, deliberately undermining her confidence in herself._

 _Yuya might have staunchly defended Kyo but was putting up far less of a fight when it came to her own well-being. A human who both cared for and put more faith in others than herself, how marvelous. It was a flaw he could exploit._

" _I truly don't…," she began and then paused as a thought struck her and her brow furrowed in concentration._

" _Ah, you have something for me," he noted, softening his grip once more as he took to running his thumb over the back of her hand again._

 _The contact between his skin and hers repulsed her. He could see it in the way her eyes shifted so that she could glare weakly at his hand. The king kept his touch light, almost a lover's caress because he knew that someone like her - who was so very in love and so very faithful to Kyo - would do anything to make him stop._

" _I can almost hear his voice. He told me that the God he knew was…," she paused and her body abruptly stilled while her lashes lowered to hide her eyes from him._

 _He was usually a very patient person but that patience wore a little thinner at her hesitant manner. She had no right to keep the information he sought from him and he reached forward with his other hand and used it to tilt her head up._

" _Look at me, Yuya Shiina," he ordered and she obeyed - likely because a part of her sensed what he would do if she didn't. Or perhaps she sensed what he would do if it turned out that she knew something she shouldn't._

 _Lovely green eyes looked into his and he felt a tremor run through her body as she replied, "Threatening me doesn't make what I have to say easier. You won't like it."_

" _There is no shame in fearing the person who can end your life. It is the natural way of things when humans like you are faced with a god. Why do you think your kind bowed to the Mibu for so long?" he said simply._

" _However, I am not entirely pleased that you presume to know what I will and will not like," Kyoichirou concluded with a warning tone._

" _Everyone has their pride," she replied and he was taken aback by the look on her face. There was an expression there that he had not seen in many centuries. At least, not directed towards him._

 _Empathy. Perhaps with even a sprinkling of pity._

 _As if she had some sort of inkling of what made him tick. And he was torn between punishing her for her arrogance and pressing her for more._

 _Awareness of the fact that she had just stepped out onto much thinner ice caused her to continue hastily, "He said that you are to be pitied most of all. That…as powerful as you are, you were still swallowed up by despair because of the limits of your abilities."_

 _She hadn't been wrong. He did_ _ **not**_ _like the words that came out of her mouth or the fact that she was telling the unvarnished truth. He wanted to snap her neck for a second but he controlled himself and removed his hands from her person to hold the temptation to harm her at bay._

 _Yuya did not seem to know what he was. But she knew a truth that was almost as damaging to his position as God._

 _What a conundrum._

 _ ***End Flashback***_

So, Nozomu Shiina had betrayed his trust by peering into his origins and pitied what he had become as a result.

How revolting.

He steepled his fingers as he sat on his throne and watched Ruru run around him. She chattered to him about her usual fluff and he was only half-listening as he thought over his discussion with Kyo's wife – he was finally willing to acknowledge her as such after meeting her.

At the moment, he was waiting for his Taishirou to filter in from their respective duties as scheduled. He had given Hishigi plenty of time to finish housing Kyoshiro in his new body with the instruction that he was to bring him to the throne room afterwards. Hours ago, he had set up an appointment with his chosen heir and the Taishirou in expectation of having the final pieces of his plan in place so that things could proceed on time.

"Sendai-Sama, where is Ryu-Chan? I haven't been able to find him," Ruru's small voice broke into his thoughts and the clear worry in her voice brought his attention directly to her.

"I'm afraid Ryu-Chan's father came to take him away," he responded and her face fell.

She had taken his statement that he was bringing a child for her to play with four years ago very literally and he knew she was possessive over Kyo's son. The two had always been inseparable until Aiko had been retrieved as well. With everything that was going on and the culmination of his grand plans for the Mibu clan, he hadn't paid much attention to the child who was upset at being supplanted by Ryu's twin.

"He can't have him back. Ryu-Chan belongs to me," Ruru said fiercely and he raised a brow at the loudness of her tone.

Although her stance was belligerent, her hands shook ever so slightly and her lips trembled with emotion. She was genuinely upset and he knew her well enough to know that she was probably feeling very lonely. She was important to him and, according to Hishigi, had a unique biology that he was using to test treatments for the Death Disease. However, between the new children Hishigi had turned out in the lab and his efforts to bring Kyoshiro back to his side, he had ignored the lone Rare Breed child and given little consideration to her feelings.

A pang of regret tugged at him and he reached out to brush a hand over her cheek as he said softly, "Forgive me for leaving you alone. I was dealing with something else."

"Is it Ryu's mother?" she asked and he frowned, wondering how she could possibly have come across that information.

"Have you been eavesdropping again, Ruru? I've told you before that listening around corners is not good manners," he said in a chiding tone.

"I can't help it. No one notices me and if I don't spy, no one will ever tell me what's going on," she replied unrepentantly.

A normal Mibu clan member would have been quick to apologize and promise that it wouldn't happen a second time but Ruru was different. He freely admitted that he probably let her have her way far more than was wise but he couldn't help himself. He adored kids. They were his weakness.

Kyoichirou loved them and the simplicity and purity that they embodied. Even as a member of the True Mibu – whose very existence represented the potential to undo everything he had worked to accomplish over the millennia - Kyo was no exception. And he had made the child his personal confessor – telling him what was in his heart because, on some plane that he couldn't quite define, he knew the two of them were two sides of the same coin.

Ruru was different in that he would never tell her the things he had imparted to Kyo but he doted on her nonetheless and enjoyed having her around.

"So…what's she like?" Ruru pressed, pink eyes staring at him intently and he realized that she was pressing him for more details about Ryu's mother.

"She is a very…unique person," he replied thoughtfully as he went over his initial conversation with her.

It was so rare for him to encounter anyone so forthright and he was intrigued by her responses to him. Although, she guarded her thoughts as best she could once she realized that he could listen to them, he appreciated the understanding she had come to before that. Yuya was a smart young lady who knew that she was his to do with as he wished while she was in his domain.

He had believed that the knowledge of her own powerlessness would be enough to bow her completely to his will. He _was_ the strongest being on the planet and she was nothing more than a frail, painfully imperfect human. The consort of a boy whose ancestors he had surpassed a long time ago.

That she would simply accept his role as God and come to the realization that there was no way her beloved spouse could defeat him had been a given as far as he was concerned.

But she hadn't.

Instead, she stared at him with that steady emerald gaze and told him point blank that Kyo would defeat him. There was not a whiff of doubt in her voice or uncertainty in her eyes. She was afraid of him - like any rational person would be - but her faith in Kyo's abilities had not been shaken one whit by his unsubtle mockery. No matter how much he willed her to retract the statement, she did not budge and he had been annoyed, at first, then curious. Even Sakuya's visions of the future were cloudy when it came to information about him and Kyo and still…Yuya was so certain.

"What does "unique" mean?" the eight-year-old asked.

"It means different, Ruru-Chan."

"Oh. Then what makes her different? Isn't she just a human?"

It was a simple question with a not-so-simple answer. He hadn't nailed down yet what made her so special, only that she was quite unlike anyone he had ever met - which was saying something for someone of his vast experience.

He was so used to total compliance and agreement from the people around him that he was both repulsed and fascinated by her responses to him.

After her refusal to recant her faith in Kyo's eventual victory over him, the strangest urge to touch her skin had come over him. He needed to see if this human woman who defied belief was real. To peel back her layers and examine her more closely like the scholar he prided himself on being.

Was there indeed something special about her? She had produced a shaman after all, which was incredibly rare for a parent who was not one themselves – even lower than the chance to produce a rare breed. Hishigi had already examined her when he repaired the damage his protege had inflicted on her and determined that she was just a normal human, not gifted like her daughter was.

And yet, he felt that she wasn't very normal at all.

The flesh of her chin beneath his fingers had been soft and delicate and he appreciated her prudence in letting him do as he willed with her. He preferred not to force compliance and she was so much weaker than him that it would take only a thought to end her existence.

Even so, he had found nothing unusual while he examined her. She'd even amused him by dodging his use of Satori by dredging up a memory of herself and Kyo in the throes of passion. He was far too old to be shocked by such things and instead allowed himself a moment's appreciation of her intelligence. Although he was not a fan of open rebellion, especially not from those who were beneath him, he was interested in the human woman who skirted that fine edge with him.

' _Is that how you captured Kyo's heart?'_ he wondered.

"I'm not entirely sure what makes her different at this time, Ruru-Chan," he said after a long moment spent analyzing his interactions with Yuya Shiina.

"I thought you knew everything," she replied, wide-eyed.

"I understand more than most but even I am not immune to the occasional surprise. Only a fool assumes that he knows all there is. The key is to know enough about a matter to make an informed decision."

"What are you going to do with Ryu-Chan's mother?" she asked and he noted that a restless air had crept into her body language.

Since she had such a short attention span any other time, he assumed that she was growing bored of the conversation and said, "That is to be determined. Would you like to be excused? Perhaps you would like to go and play?"

Kyoichirou actually preferred her absence for the upcoming meeting. He could sense the approach of both Fubuki and Tokito and he did not care for the tension he felt in their auras. Something was off about the two of them. Hishigi was en route with Kyoshiro as well and Yuan was still distant but he suspected that the blind man would show up just in time to avoid being late. Anything less would be out of character for someone as laid back as him.

He smiled at Ruru as she agreed with his suggestion that she go off to play and excused herself. After that, he turned his mind back to the matter of Kyo and his wife.

Whatever it was that set Yuya apart, he was certain that it was what had attracted the Demon Child who valued his solitude above all else. For a certainty, her empathy had helped as well. He would not soon forget the look on her face when she finally remembered what Nozomu had told her.

Perhaps her relationship with Kyo was as complex as his own.

Her husband had always been such a loner as a boy - it was why he had known his thoughts and feelings could safely be expressed to the Demon Child. The two of them were unlike anyone else around them, albeit in different ways. Kyo was the last child of his former masters who should not have existed in this time and place. And he was the pinnacle of a technology that was thousands of years old. The strongest battle doll who had surpassed his makers.

The True Mibu had been a race of gods and yet their own creations had overthrown them after a very long and very bloody war. Mibu vs Mibu. Then doll vs doll once they had killed off enough of their own family members.

In the end, he was the only one left. The first Crimson Cross Knight and the most powerful of their dolls and the only one fit to become God after the True Mibu were gone.

The king had assumed the mantle that he had earned in blood – shedding his old name, Mibu Kyoichirou in the process - and built the clan back up from scratch. He was stronger, wiser, better than the True Mibu had been and still - even though he knew what Kyo was when they found him in the cursed forest – he hadn't wanted to kill him.

Power. Divinity. Violence. Light and dark eternally entwined. The trademarks of the Mibu clan both past and present.

The question remained though. If he was the past, was Kyo now the future? That tiny, perfectly formed child with his too intense red eyes and a penchant for doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted? His staunch independence was another hallmark of his ancestors.

On the far end of the throne room – well, it was more like a massive pavilion – a dark figure appeared at the top of the steps leading up from the courtyard below. The darkness of his clothes was offset by a long white haori which trailed after him like a cape and he felt a shiver of happiness go up his spine. Even from where he sat, he could feel the power radiating off of Kyoshiro and he sighed in relief at knowing that Hishigi had done as he'd ordered with his usual finesse and attention to detail. This version of his youngest Crimson Cross Knight was a cut above the rest and he clenched and unclenched his fist in anticipation of giving him the mark that would proclaim his status as the new Crimson King.

Kyoichirou noted Hishigi's entrance after that of his heir but he paid him no mind as he examined the way Kyoshiro moved. There was no hesitation in his bearing, no signs of doubt and he smiled in response. There had been a moment or two when he felt as if his knight was not as committed as he said he was but there was none of that now and his confidence in the outcome of his plans continued to grow.

The king was so close to the completion of the Mibu Reconstruction Project and he refused to allow the strain between Fubuki and Tokito when they entered to dampen his spirits. Even when Yuan strolled in just a hair above late, he generously forgave him and made no mention of it.

Instead, he gave his Taishirou a moment to collect themselves and continued to examine Kyoshiro - the son he'd crafted from his own flesh and blood and given a body that even he himself did not own. There were now two legitimate heirs to the True Mibu legacy and he felt immensely pleased with both himself and his Elders for helping him with his grand design.

He had never truly been able to control Kyo but Kyoshiro was different - a perfect representative of the new clan he would establish. He had a body that matched those of his original masters but a soul that was of his own creation and thus a life that would be forever under his dominion.

It was the ultimate set up and yet…even as he opened his mouth to speak, his pleasure was marred by his more recent memories. Without his permission, he saw those vivid green eyes again and heard Kyo's wife say once more with her ridiculous confidence.

" _ **He**_ **is** _ **going to defeat the king."**_

Centuries of practice allowed him to maintain a placid expression and he pushed the vision aside, reminding himself that they were only the words of a weak, ignorant human who had no idea what she was dealing with.

But the image of her unwavering gaze did not leave his thoughts nor did the fact that she was so confident about a future that even his current seer could not divine. A seed of uncertainty had been planted and he realized that doubts were creeping in when, instead of commending his Elders with a grand and wordy expression of thanks, as he intended, he said changed what he was going to say.

"I am pleased to have all of you gathered here to usher in the future. However, Kyo is still at large and we must continue to be vigilant."

Praise turned into a warning the moment it left his lips and he held onto his smile on the outside while something low in the pit of his stomach twisted.

" _ **I just know that Kyo won't sit still while I am here and that he**_ **will** _ **continue to get stronger."**_

"I desire all of you to keep a keen eye on your respective posts. You in particular, Tokito, since your territory is closest to the labyrinth," he said and the young woman gave a start.

"As you wish, Sendai-Sama," she replied with a hasty nod, although he did not miss the surreptitious look she shot Fubuki.

The disharmony between two people who were usually in each other's back pockets bothered him more than it should and he shifted his gaze to Hishigi as he asked, "And as for you, have you done as I requested with Kyoshiro's old body?"

He had asked for it to be preserved so that he could reabsorb it in a pinch. Of course, he was fully capable of beating Kyo as he was but there was no point in leaving power on the table. He told himself that the course of wisdom would be to reclaim it as soon as possible since it was no longer inhabited.

"All is prepared," Hishigi said quietly.

"That is good.

" _ **Strong enough to beat a god?"**_ _he had asked Kyo's wife and he hated the way his own words sounded to him. As if he were actually worried about the outcome of the battle._

 _Those green eves never faltered and her words carried the certainty of a prophetess as she replied,_ _ **"Strong enough to do whatever it takes to be become the best."**_

He couldn't leave anything to chance. Overconfidence had been the downfall of the True Mibu and he could not let it be his own.

Fubuki and Hishigi were loyal to him. Yuan loved his family too much to betray him – as large as his household was, he had a lot to lose. And he was certain that Kyoshiro was loyal as well and, even if he wasn't, his life always had and always would belong to him and Sakuya was his as well.

That left Tokito. The young woman who shared Muramasa's traitorous blood, was run by her emotions, and carried one of her uncle's masterworks as her primary weapon. He would have a talk with Chinmei about keeping an eye on her and that potentially troublesome sword. All four of those cursed Muramasa blades were converging towards one spot and he was unsettled by their proximity to both himself and the heart he kept locked away. If Tokito turned on him, he wanted Hokuto Shichisei handled.

As he went over his plans with the Taishirou, he found himself mentally addressing those green eyes, condemning what their owner had said to him.

Promise or not, he had no intention of letting Kyo get the upper hand on him and no slip of a human girl could change his course. He had been specifically crafted to fight toe-to-toe against the True Mibu and fight he would if it came down to it.

' _I am the Crimson King. My rule and my will is absolute. I am the be all and the end all.'_

He had repeated that mantra many times over the years - through the good times and the bad times - and it had kept him true to his goals.

However, for the first time in his life, he found himself being silently scrutinized by emerald eyes and he just could not shake the feeling that Yuya Shiina knew something about the coming battle that he didn't.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I smell fresh air."

Akira spoke the words quietly and the men traveling on either side of him sighed in relieved unison.

Right now, it was Bon, Benitora and himself and it felt as if they had been traveling forever. The thought of being anywhere but within the musty, miserable confines of the maze Hishigi had dumped them into was wonderful.

When he had woken up, it hadn't taken long for him to find Tora and the two of them had followed his keen senses to locate Bon. They found him dozing heavily a couple corridors over with a lascivious grin on his face. A shock from freezing the floor around his old friend had woken the giant up and Bon proceeded to glare at the two of them for snapping him out of whatever fantasy kept him sleeping in this deadly place.

At least, he had the feeling the older man was glaring at him and he had baited him shamelessly by asking politely, "Oh, did I wake you from a pleasant dream, Bon? Perhaps one about Okuni-San? She certainly seems to have a hold of you. If only we could all be so relaxed."

Translation: "Okuni has you by the balls and that makes you a weak idito. Move your butt or I'll move it for you."

Bon only grinned in response and replied, "You're just jealous because you don't have a woman to love on you. Just you wait. Someday, some female is going to lead you on a merry chase and you're going to fall all over yourself for her. Begging her to let you in between her thighs."

There was only one reply worth giving to such an absurd statement and they were delayed a little bit longer while they waited for his ice block to thaw enough for Bon to break free. And while they walked, the young man dwelled on the ridiculousness of Bon's comment.

Even though he had come to terms with the fact that Yuya had not actually made Kyo into a weaker fighter – quite the opposite in fact – that did not mean he was even remotely interested in romance for himself. One of the areas in which he differed from Kyo was in his attitude towards women. Kyo liked them and what they could do in bed but, to him, they were a waste of time. Imminently ignorable unless they were either fighters or someone unusual, like Yuya.

He liked Kyo's wife well enough but, since she was off-limits, he did not dwell on her past the friendship stage. Aside from her, there were no females around who caught his attention and, in all honesty, he was looking. Nor did he see himself searching one out as a companion in either the near or distant future. It would take a very unique female to turn his head since he hardly cared about looks with his blindness and he found most women to be boring.

Kyo used to tease him often about his reluctance to visit brothels with the rest of the gang – excluding Akari who proclaimed it unladylike – and his thoughts on the matter had not changed. He was still too busy trying to catch up to Kyo to worry about bedding women or even settling down with just one.

As the fresh air grew more pronounced, he shook his head to discard it of his useless thoughts and reminded himself, _'I still have to catch up. No woman is worth deviating from that goal.'_

"We have company ahead," Bontenmaru said and he nodded in response.

He could sense their enemies. They had been moving unimpeded through the labyrinth and he knew it was only a matter of time before they were embroiled in another fight.

The figures he picked up were humanoid but far too large to be normal people and he silently counted them.

"Ten strong ones," he said.

"Stronger than the last soldiers we fought before we fell into the pit?" Benitora asked with a note of worry in his voice.

"Comparing the two groups is irrelevant. They are in our way. Use your senses," Akira replied coldly, irritated by his lack of confidence.

"I just like to be prepared, is all," the other man said.

"We either go through them or we die. Would you rather we remain lost in the labyrinth? Perhaps that would be a fitting end for a weakling like you. Alone and forgotten because you couldn't compete with your betters."

He egged the other man on deliberately and smirked at how simpleminded he was as he replied heatedly, "I've been training straight for four years, Akira. I might not be on the same level as the Shiseiten but I can hold my own."

Akira knew full well that he was a capable enough warrior but he also knew that Tora only fought seriously when he absolutely had to. Also, a part of him was annoyed by his very existence and what he represented. Far too many times, the blind man had been looked down on as fighter because he was of common stock instead of a noble samurai bloodline. Benitora was his exact opposite and yet he felt that the other man squandered the gifts that he had inherited from his forefathers. There was a slight edge of sadism in the way he goaded the other man.

On the other side of him, Bon muttered something under his breath about idiot boys and their stupid pissing contests.

"Was there something else you would like to add, Bon?" he asked mildly.

"Nope. I just want to get this show on the road."

Their enemies had caught sight of them now and were closing in with inhuman speed.

"As do I," he replied and they did not speak further as the battle began.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After the king left and after checking the door to confirm that he had locked her in from the outside, Yuya took her time exploring her accommodations. She had to force herself not to linger over the wealth on display and keep moving. Having grown up in conditions that were impoverished - Mizuto had not been a wealthy village by any stretch of the imagination – she was pretty weak against the finer things in life. Still, she reminded herself that the riches surrounding her came at a steep cost that had nothing to do with money. And she was pleased that she only drooled a little when she came across a lovely kimono that was of similar cut to her old one but made out of vastly more expensive fabric.

It was a lovely shade of pink with flowers done in silver thread and there was a fine white silk under kimono to go with it. Unfortunately, there were other undergarments and she scowled. She had taken to wearing a type of fundoshi from a young age because of the many scrapes she was prone to getting in with the other children in the village and doubly so now that she had become a bounty hunter. Even though the lack of other undergarments should not have come as a surprise since she was the anomaly here, she was still irritated. Grumbling to herself, she removed her sheer nightclothes and shrugged the exquisite clothing on, sighing at the way it felt against her skin.

She only hesitated for a second before retrieving the immodest gown and folding it carefully before sitting it on the bed. If she found a way out of here, she kind of wanted to bring it along if only to save it as a surprise for Kyo when they had time to themselves again.

When. Not _if_.

' _Still, that's a pretty distant when,'_ she thought to herself dejectedly.

She went over the room a second time, pressing here and there against the stone walls to see if there were hidden passages or something like in the Shogun's castle. Nothing was turning up though and she was about to open the windows to see if there was a way down from there when she heard something scratching against the door. Freezing in place, Yuya listened intently and was rewarded with what sounded like the bolt on the door being moved.

Since it wouldn't do to make it obvious that she was trying to escape, she made her way hastily to the bed and sat down on it to pretend that she had been waiting like a proper damsel in distress.

The lock jiggled a bit, as if the person moving it were struggling with it, and she frowned as she wondered who it could be. She highly doubted that it was the king – that man moved with a precision and speed that no human could ever hope to match and she just couldn't picture him having a hard time with anything as mundane as a lock.

Yuya could hear the bolt move and she silently reached out to grab a squat vase that was decorating the table next to her bed and sat it behind her on the bed just in case she needed to use it on someone's head. Would it stop a member of the clan who was determined to do her harm? Not likely. But she wasn't one to go down without a fight.

At last, a loud click sounded and the door was pulled outwards to form a small gap. Nothing appeared in the space for a moment and she squinted, trying to see who it could be before drawing her eyes downwards. She had expected someone to show up at the level her eyes would be at if she were standing but her visitor was much shorter and it wasn't until she brought her gaze down to child height that she saw the tiny face peering just around the edge of the door.

She blinked and the pink eyes staring back at her blinked in return.

It was…a child. The last thing she had expected to come across in this dangerous place but a welcome sight all the same. She was a mother. She could deal with children.

Offering a smile to her visitor, she lifted her hand and waggled her fingers at him or her.

' _Her,'_ she confirmed as that small head pushed its way further into the room and she caught sight of bright, pink-tinted red hair – reminiscent of a strawberry – caught up in two pigtails on either side of her head.

The expression on the little girl's face was vaguely suspicious but it was clear that she was more curious than anything else because she kept inching farther and farther into the room. If Yuya had to guess, she would have placed the girl around the age of seven or eight.

"Hello there," Yuya said a kindly as she could to put the little one at ease.

The girl didn't return her greeting, merely stared at her with her unusually colored eyes before asking in a voice that was a bizarre mixture of demand and accusation, "You're Ryu-Chan's mother, aren't you?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So, a lot of convergence is going happen over the next few chapters. Yuya is finally going to meet Sakuya. Yuan's family is going to come into the picture shortly. Sasuke and Taihaku will meet up with Julian at some point soon. Akira and his gang are going to encounter Tokito and her minions soon. And the king is going to continue to be worried that he plans might just come to naught.

Hopefully this wasn't too boring with so much being dedicated to the king and his thoughts. It should pick up again next chapter as I continue to move this plot along to its finale.

Thanks again for reading and please let me know what you think.


	54. Meetings and Partings

**Thanks to:** **general zargon** (Lol, Ruru does what she wants. I'm glad I didn't bore you by writing from the king's perspective. Thanks for catching the typos. Also, Julian is Muramasa's master, Shihoudou's best friend, and Yuan's father who was married to Ian before Hishigi executed her. You should check him out on the wiki, he's a real rock star type of character. ^_^), **lmamc** (You guessed right about Ruru. After all, if Yuya isn't going to be falling out of a window this time, she needs another way to finally meet Sakuya.), **Azure** (I'm relieved that you didn't the last chapter boring. Internal exposition can be annoying to write but it becomes a necessary evil the more complex a character is and the king is a doozy. I didn't want to go down that weird route in the manga where the king thought Yuya was a seer but I did want him to acknowledge that she is a special person. Because he is so distant from the outside world and limited in his face-to-face interactions, I felt he would have a bit of trouble wrapping his head around her. Sorry for the wordy response. I hope you enjoy Yuya's conversation with Ruru when it comes.), **itsJestinerose** (Thanks, being sick stinks. It's actually pretty fun writing about what the king thinks and there is more Kyo below), **Yira** (Yuya has grown a lot, as both a person and as a woman in love. ㈴2 And no one is completely immune to Yuya's charms. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop the king from being a brute when it comes to handling his business and his fear of what Kyo would do with the info. In his mind, he was being gentle by only planning to break a few fingers versus killing her. As for Ruru, you'll see what happens next chapter and the people Akira and the rest will face are of no consequence, just sentries.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Eight**

 **Meetings and Partings**

"Now that we've cheered Shinrei-San up, perhaps we should turn our minds to other things. For example, I don't believe we've been properly introduced yet," Yukimura said, giving Shihoudou a brilliant smile.

The nobleman had drifted towards the female warrior while Hotaru dealt with Shinrei's bout of depression and the look he gave her now was thoroughly male.

"Have some standards, man," Kyo muttered.

"I'll have you know, my taste is impeccable, Kyo," he replied.

"She's an old hag and strong enough to tear you in half with her bare hands," the Thousand Killer replied.

Yukimura moved his gaze over the former Elder and replied, "First, it's rude to call any woman a "hag", no matter her age. Second, there's nothing old about her. And third, being strong only makes her even more beautiful."

Shihoudou - who looked as if she were torn between disbelief that someone was actively flirting with her and anticipation at what looked to be an opportunity for mischief – smiled at Yukimura in return.

"Awww, I'm flattered but Kyo's right. I'm even older than Muramasa," she said.

The much younger man didn't bat an eyelash as he said, "And yet you have such lovely skin and your form is a delight to gaze upon. A flower in the wilderness," he gestured to their gloomy surroundings, "I always thought women were like fine wines - better with age - and you only prove me right."

"You hear that, Kyo?" she shot him an amused glance, "Auntie Shihoudou is like a fine wine. You're missing out on all this good stuff."

She winked and ran a hand down her left side from breast to hip, emphasizing her curves and teasing Yukimura who hummed in appreciation.

"Still so shameless," he heard Shinrei murmur off to the side in a voice laden with disapproval.

"Old wine doesn't always taste good, hag. Sometimes it gets left on the table so long it goes sour," Kyo replied.

She sucked her teeth and said, "You're just saying that because you know you can't handle me. On the other hand, this cutie here is a real gentleman."

Reaching out, she placed a hand of Yukimura's chest and drew a little circle on the fabric of his haori as she said, "I might be old but I ain't dead."

"You're clearly a lady killer but, I have to admit, Auntie likes that silver tongue. I bet you're very," she leaned a little closer to the nobleman, " _very_ talented with it."

Kyo almost gagged at the mental picture her words engendered and knew from the wicked glance she shot his way that she said it just to punish him for being rude.

"Too bad I don't have time to find out if you can walk the walk, pretty boy."

"I can make the time for a lovely lady like you," Yukimura fairly purred, clasping the hand she had used to touch him.

"Down boy, I'm just teasing you," she said with a grin, pushing him away with that single finger.

"Ah, I can go down as far as you'd like, pretty lady," he replied and her brows shot up as she caught onto his meaning.

"Dang, where were you a hundred years ago when I needed you?" she asked wistfully, eyes gliding down his body and landing squarely on his crotch.

"Living a previous life in desperate loneliness because I hadn't met you yet," Yukimura replied without missing a beat, his smile dazzling.

"You have an answer for everything I bet," Shihoudou replied before she sighed and suddenly reached up to muss his hair.

He blinked and actually blushed a little when she followed it up with a hard slap to his behind as she said, "Get a move on, hot stuff. If you survive your battle with Sendai-Sama and his crew, come back and show me what a brat like you can do for an old lady like me."

"And speaking of brats…I need a word with you, Kyo," she said, jerking her head for him to come closer.

He raised a brow and didn't move an inch as he said, "Just spit it out."

Mumbling something under her breath about 'cocky brats who didn't obey their elders', she said, "I need you to tell me something, Oni-Chan."

"What, old hag?"

Her demeanor became somber and he knew the conversation was going to turn serious again.

"I need to know…," she hesitated before starting again, "Well, I guess I should tell you about something that happened a while back and why I exiled myself down here."

He nodded for her to continue and she sighed, taking her hat off and flipping it over and over again in her hands as she said, "A long while back, the king told me that he foresaw darkness rising in his heart and he made me promise to kill him when I saw it starting to overtake him. The way Sendai-Sama is now…it's my fault. Even before you showed up, he was having problems. Getting more and more frustrated about the way things were going in the world and closing himself off more and more. The time came for me to fulfill that promise but…"

Her dark eyes moved away from him and focused on an invisible point over his shoulder, her gaze far away in another time and place as she continued, "I…couldn't do it. The king was slowly losing his mind but I couldn't keep my promise."

Her hat flipping paused and she hugged the sandogasa to herself before looking at him again with eyes that were sad and filled with regrets, "I failed him, Kyo. And the rest of the clan by extension and I hated myself for it. So, I threw myself away, hiding down here with the rest of the trash until you arrived in the clan and I got curious about the little boy who spent his days by the king's side, listening to him. I though how wonderful it was that the king had a friend again and whenever I peeked out of my hole and caught sight of you, I could see how much lighter the atmosphere around the king was."

Kyo couldn't speak on how much better he'd made the king feel but he felt the need to point out that he had a promise of his own to keep and said as much.

"He made me swear the same thing. To kill him if he started going off the wall."

"I had a feeling he would have asked you that. You're probably the only person who could get anywhere with him, as strong as he is. But I do have another request? Do you think you could talk with him a bit? Like in the old days? I'm sure you could still reach his heart."

Her face was so hopeful that Kyo knew he'd be doing her no favors by agreeing to her impossible request - giving her hope where there was none. Besides that, it wouldn't mean the same coming from him as it would from her. He wasn't the one in love with the man.

"Not happening," he said bluntly and she frowned in response.

"First, I'm on the road to become the strongest fighter on the planet and he's in my way. I'm not throwing that away just because you want two grown men to sit down for tea time like a couple of kids. That ship sailed years ago. Second, you need to go see him yourself and tell him what a jackass he is to his face."

Her color heightened along with her voice as she replied, "Don't you understand that I can't! He's beyond listening to me, Kyo."

"Then make him listen. You can't stay down here forever guarding the screw-ups of the clan. Get off your butt and do something about it!"

He didn't have time to worry about Shihoudou's unrequited love for the Former King. Nothing could take the place of the person you loved - he'd learned that the hard way - and guilt made for a crappy bedfellow. The only way to make things right was to keep moving forward. Shihoudou hadn't and now she was suffering in the labyrinth with no one to keep her company but the dead.

As irritating as he found her, he didn't hate her and they traded glares for a full minute before she cut her eyes away and said, "Fine, get out of here then if you don't want to help."

"Don't get all moody on me now, old hag. I'm just telling you the truth. If you don't do something then nothing will ever get done."

"You know what, Kyo," she said, lashes lowering to hide her eyes, "you aren't cute at all."

"I'm so crushed," he replied drily, "However will I cope without an old bag treating me like a freaking child.

Shihoudou responded by sticking her tongue out at him and changing the subject again.

" _Anyways_ ," she drew the word out, "we need to get you all somewhere safe. Especially those two brats of yours. And I know just the people who can help."

The cheerful façade was in place once again when looked down at her bound chest. She reached up with a hand to fish around in the valley of her breasts before extracting a lacy scrap of fabric from between them.

"Sooooo, who's best at following instructions?" Shihoudou drawled, waving what looked like a very scant and very girly pair of underwear in the air.

Kyo tracked the sexy article of clothing with his eyes as he asked, "Do I even want to know why you were keeping those in there, old hag?"

The female warrior grinned as she replied, "Where else could I keep them in this get up? These are called panties by the way and they're the current rage with women in the clan. You need to use them as a signal if you should happen to get into trouble. Plus, you have to use the magic words."

"And those are?"

Her smile widened as she pitched her voice disturbingly high and said, "Oh Julian, please save me! If you do, I'll give myself to you!"

Kyo grimaced as he replied, "Yeah, I pass."

"Oh, come on. Surely one of you young men can do that. I promise you, the rewards are worth it."

"The answer is still no," he said.

She pouted and shifted her eyes over to Hotaru as she extended the hand with the underwear towards him.

"How about you, Blondie?"

Golden eyes moved from her to his brother before he replied, "Give it to Shinrei. He's used to taking orders."

Shinrei stared at the offending garment, clearly appalled at the very idea of touching it.

He opened his mouth to decline but Yukimura cut him off and said, "I'll take them."

"Why am I not surprised," she replied as she flicked the panties through the air.

Yukimura caught them and unfurled them almost reverently as he said, "It's like a fundoshi but so much more feminine. I can just imagine what they would look like while on. I'm honored to hold something that touched your fair skin, my lady."

"If you start sniffing them, Yukimura, I'm going to lose what little respect I had for you," Kyo said in disgust.

"Don't judge me, Kyo" Yukimura said with a wink, "Besides, you can't say you wouldn't enjoy seeing your pretty little wife in something like this too."

He waved the scant garment a little and Kyo didn't deign to answer. Would he welcome seeing Yuya in barely-there underwear? Of course! Was that anyone else's business but his own? Absolutely not.

The look the older man shot him was knowing before he stowed the panties in his pocket and asked, "What is this Julian person like?"

"He's the man who taught Muramasa everything he knows about being a blacksmith."

"Oh, so he's a lot like Muramasa then?" he queried.

An unladylike snort of laughter escaped her as she replied, "The exact opposite of his disciple, in fact. He's a larger-than-life sort of person. I'm sure the two of you will hit it right off."

"I'll take your word for it," Yukimura replied.

After that, they listened as she gave them directions to Julian's home in the section of the complex around Onmyouden Castle that fell under Yuan's jurisdiction.

"You might want to consider stashing your little ones there, Kyo," Shihoudou said in all seriousness as they were preparing to head out.

"I don't care for the idea of leaving the brats with someone I don't know," he said.

"I know that, but you don't want them in the thick of the battle either. Your fight with the king has the world in the balance as well. He's our god for a reason and you'll have to surpass him if you want to come out of this alive. If you're smart, you'll keep them as far away from it as possible. Besides, if I know Julian's brood, they'll fall all over themselves to have a chance to take care of a couple of children. He had ten of them, you know."

"Couldn't he keep it in his pants?" Kyo replied.

"Not with thousands of years and a woman he loved to bits under his belt," she replied, "As eager as you are to get your human back, you should able to identify with that."

He knew better than to agree or disagree with her and so he said nothing, only shrugged in response. They packed it up afterwards and headed out with much better spirits now that they had a way out of the labyrinth and a destination with potential allies at the end of it.

Kyo kept his children close and rolled what Shihoudou had said about leaving them with Julian's family through his head. He didn't like the idea of leaving them behind anywhere in the Mibu clan but she wasn't wrong either. Aiko and Ryu would become more and more of a liability the closer he got to fighting the king and he focused on his daughter in particular.

She was still moping a little after being fussed at by Shinrei and he felt that it was probably best if she was as far away from the other man as possible when they went to battle. The link between the two of them would only serve as a distraction for the water-user and had the further potential of getting her hurt if she stayed too close to him.

There were so many extra considerations he had to take into account now that he was a father and he sighed, pressing a hand to the top of each of those tiny heads as he mulled over the difficult choice facing him. Leave his offspring with people who may or may not be trustworthy or strong enough to protect them. Or take them into a battle that he wasn't entirely sure he was going to win.

As if an unspoken word had passed between them, Aiko and Ryu tilted their heads as one and looked back at him, red eyes brimming with concern and he quickly jerked his eyes back up, staring ahead as they walked.

There was something about the innocent gaze of a child that made it hard to look at them directly when he was trying to make such an important decision about their safety. It wasn't the same as when he dealt with Yuya. She would never take "no" for an answer from him because she had already committed herself to sinking or swimming with him, come what may. He adored her trust and loyalty but that same trust and loyalty had the potential to become a trap if he brought the twins along with him.

They had already seen enough since joining his group and he didn't enjoy the thought of letting them sink any deeper into the darkness that awaited them. He'd meant what he said to Yuya, that he didn't want them to be like him. No one had protected him as a child and the things he'd seen and done to survive would always stay with him. Yuya loved him despite his wicked inclinations, but he felt as if having his children shaped in a similar way would be a bad thing. There was a wrongness to it that did not sit well with him.

Very rarely did he acknowledge the existence of his conscience but it prodded at him now and he decided to meet Julian's children before making his decision about the safety of his children. He wanted to be the person who protected them at all times but that was not necessarily the smart thing to do because he had no choice but to head further into danger.

Being a father was turning out to be a very complicated thing.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Four years prior, their enemies would have given them a lot more trouble but they had spent every waking moment training for their second foray into the Mibu clan. And none had trained harder than Akira. Bontenmaru and Benitora had their noble lineages to fall back on but he had no such advantage. He had to claw and hoard for every drop of power, every leap in his abilities. To stop was to slide backwards. To rest was as good as giving up.

Always in his mind's eye, he was staring at Kyo's back - hurrying to catch up to a man who was the pinnacle of everything he strived to be. Feared, respected, and acknowledged. Even _loved_ , although he had no problem exchanging love for hatred. As long as he could leave some proof of his existence behind when he died, he was happy. As long as his ending was better than his beginning he would be content.

Sometimes, when he fought – as he was doing at that very moment – he saw the specters of his past in his mind's eye. While he cut down one inhuman enemy after another, he replaced them with the people who had ignored him as a child. An undersized, malnourished orphan who was neither wanted nor loved. In the aftermath of the battles that tore through village after village, he was just another mouth to feed. A brat whose very existence meant that valuable warriors were missing out on scraps of food to sustain the war efforts.

There was endless fighting amongst the nobles and the poor were caught in between as always. Fight to eat. Fight to live. But it was hard when one was a child and so much smaller and weaker than the rest. His swords moved in a fluid blur and he wondered what all those people who had looked down on him before would say if they saw him now.

Would they be impressed?

Would he even let them live long enough to form an opinion?

"Kosoga!" he heard Bon's voice boom behind him and grimaced as he realized that the giant had just taken out a soldier who was creeping up on him.

He hated relying on others and that went doubly so for Bon. It wasn't that he didn't understand that Bon was a decent person. He simply hated that – like Benitora – he didn't take enough advantage of his bloodline. There was so much power contained in that huge body and yet he seemed content to follow behind Kyo. He always brought up the rear and was the first person to fuss whenever one of them got injured.

When they were all traveling with Kyo in the beginning, Akira had focused only on catching up to Kyo and had treated the other man with contempt whenever he tried to help him. No one had aided him before and he refused to accept it when others tried after the fact. He was too set in his ways by then. Even after they had spent years training together for this moment, he resented any interference from the other man.

It didn't take them long to dispatch their enemies - a little under an hour - so that they could progress even further, following Akira's sharp senses until they reached yet another wall. This one had cracks in it and Akira could smell the fresh air getting even stronger.

He inclined his head towards Bon who sighed and said, "Yeah, yeah your highness. I got this."

A grunt and then the sound of flesh hitting stone sounded before the wall crumbled away and let them into yet another vast room. There were pillars in this one and he stepped forward and halted.

On his first sweep, he did not detect anyone inside but they were deep into the clan's territory that he double-checked the room and pressed his lips together tightly. There were people inside alright. Much more powerful than the soldiers they had just fought. They were masking their presence so well though that he had a hard time nailing down their location and he doubted that his companions could sense them at all.

"Keep your guard up. We aren't alone," he said as he moved further into the room.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Benitora replied as he followed him, "This place gives me the creeps. All big and empty like this."

"As I said before, you can run way if you want," Akira said as he tuned his senses for their new surroundings. He needed to concentrate and the other man talked too much.

"Oh, come off it Akira. You're upset because Kyo isn't around," the young nobleman said.

"Nailed it on the head," Bon chimed in and the ice-user grit his teeth.

"He's the biggest Kyo fanboy ever. You should have heard how many times he complained about Kyo marrying Yuya and getting captured while we were off training in Sendai. I tell you, Tora, this kid really needs to get laid to loosen that stick crammed up his crack. It ain't healthy to be so obsessed over anything but I guess that's what you get when you don't have a woman."

They were back to _that_ conversation again and he felt the air cool a few degrees around his body as he struggled to control his temper. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted by the idiots around him when he was trying to pinpoint the position of their next set of adversaries.

"If you fools value your lives, you'll shut your mouths."

"Uh oh, looks like we're upsetting the Ice Prince," Bon chortled and Benitora joined him.

There was a door at the far side of the room and Akira picked up his pace, forcing the other two men to hurry up. There was a feeling of unease that he just couldn't shake and the only thing he took comfort in was the fact the he was slowly getting a stronger impression of the people stalking them from the shadows.

However, he couldn't let his guard down. The more he sensed of their opponents, the more certain he became that they were very formidable. They were each at Shinrei's level, perhaps even higher which did not bode well. Having taken the other man's measure while they were travelling together, he was certain that they were nearly equal in power. So far, he counted three enemies trailing them, one for each of them but Bon was his equal and Tora was still behind them and thus, a liability in his mind.

The sound of cloth moving over head reached his ears and he paused, straining towards the sound in case it was an attack. However, there was no one there. Only the gentle flutter of what he assumed was a cloak as it descended from above. He sensed no ki attached to it and still a shiver of apprehension worked its way down his spine.

"Hey, what's that doing here," Bon asked, his head tilting backwards as he finally caught sight of the drifting fabric.

"Looks like some sort of cape," Tora replied.

"Maybe someone left a clue on how to get out of this place in the pocket," his fellow Emperor said as he stepped forward, arm outstretched to grab the article of clothing.

Akira had no reason to stop him really but he couldn't stop himself from feeling that something very bad was about to happen.

Off to his right, a step sounded just as he was about to open his mouth to warn Bon not to do anything stupid and all three of them turned towards the disturbance. As if it just been waiting for them to be distracted, the cloak whipped towards Bon's face via an invisible force and started _swallowing_ him, for lack of a better word.

A muffled exclamation was all the big man could get out before he was completely consumed in a matter of seconds, disappearing beneath the large swathe of fabric as it finally reached the floor. By the end of it, there wasn't a trace of him left and Akira's heart began to pound.

Striding swiftly over to the cloak, he bent down to pick it up only to have it whisked away by the same invisible force that had allowed it to "attack" Bon. He followed its path through the air and his hands flew to his swords in response.

"I'm surprised that weaklings like you made it this far into Mibu territory," a calm voice said and he drew his swords as he listened to the sound of the cloak being shaken out and flipped over someone's shoulder.

The people hounding them had come forward now and he expelled a hard breath as he realized that there were actually four people now. The man who had spoken and the other three who now brought up the rear, which put them at a firm disadvantage. Tora altered his position so that the two of them were back to back and Akira appreciated his rare display of prudence even if they were outmatched. Now that these newcomers weren't hiding, he could confirm that they were indeed a few levels above Shinrei.

"I'm as surprised as you are, Spade," said the person of his left. A man of medium build judging by his height.

"Do you think Tokito-Sama would like to take these two as well?" said a high-pitched voice from behind.

"What a weirdo," Benitora murmured.

"How so?" Akira asked.

"That last guy who spoke is a short little dude standing on the craziest geta I've ever seen. They're easily twice his height and he's perched on top of them like stilts."

"Odd indeed. And the third one?" he didn't actually care what they looked like but it served as a welcome distraction to hold his feelings of disquiet at bay while he cast his senses out, looking for some trace of Bontenmaru.

He kept coming up empty. Bon had simply vanished and something akin to panic flared up. Suddenly, the atmosphere felt too quiet without his boisterous chatter and good-natured jabs to fill the void.

"I…think the last one is a woman. She's almost as tall as Bon though and super muscular. Honestly, she looks like she break the both of us in half," Benitora whispered.

"The big one is one of the Shiseiten. A close companion to the Demon Child. He should more than suffice," said the owner of the cloak.

"Oh good. Then we can kill these two other little ones," said the woman with a voice that was incredibly husky and he heard the sound of a fist meeting an open palm - the opening act for hand-to-hand combatants across the planet.

Deciding that he could at least get a few answers of his own before he was too busy fighting for his life to ask them, Akira readied sword as he asked, "And where did you send our friend?"

"Tokito-Sama was merely interested in interrogating a member of the Demon Child's entourage. Nothing more, nothing less. Do not fret, once he is done with your large friend, he'll send him to join you in death," this was the first person yet again and Akira surmised that he was the leader of this little group and probably the strongest.

He was only partly relived at knowing that Bon was still alive. As he recalled from their talks with Shinrei, Tokito was the youngest and cruelest of the Taishirou and very powerful. If his old companion wasn't dead, he was probably going to be in sorry shape by the time they reached him.

 _If_ they reached him, which was looking less and less likely. He debated attacking Spade first and trying to use the element of surprise to take out the leaded but he was destined to be disappointed.

"Heart, Club, and Diamond. You know what to do. I must attend to Tokito-Sama with my prize."

"Don't give us orders, Spade," this was the medium sized man.

"Yeah!" this was the short one again with the annoying voice.

"Feel free to try and kill me once you've actually done your job," Spade replied mildly and then he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared.

As if that were some sort of signal, the other three closed in and he quickly gathered his ki and formed a wall of ice around himself and Benitora to hold them at bay.

A heavy fist punched a hole through the barrier and he swore underneath his breath. His wall wouldn't last long with this particular set of enemies pounding away at it.

"Benitora…," he began.

"I'm on it," the young nobleman said as he gathered his ki and the tip of his spear began to glow.

He let out a loud "HA" and then there were eight other copies of him that leapt over the barrier and started fighting.

"My clones won't last long against these guys," Tora said.

"Hold them off as best we can. We need a strategy if we are to get out of this alive."

"I hear you," he replied, "What's the plan?"

"Try not to die for now," Akira said and Benitora sighed heavily.

"Great plan," he said sarcastically as the wall of ice shuddered.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Honestly, who could be suicidal enough to trespass on Tokito-Sama's territory?" the irritated masculine voice echoed in the corridor up ahead and Kyo's group stopped.

"Don't you know? The whole castle is in an uproar because Demon Eyes Kyo is back and he brought company. They made it through the five gates and the Goyosei and, word is, they might even make it past the Labyrinth," the second speaker was feminine.

"Those voices sound familiar for some reason," Hotaru said thoughtfully and Kyo shot a glance at him.

"They don't feel bad," this came from Aiko.

"If Shihoudou is to be believed, this is Yuan's territory," this came from Shinrei who examined the dilapidated walls around them.

"Yeah, well we need to reach his family, not attract attention from his guards if we don't need to," Kyo responded.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have cared about avoiding a fight but he was reluctant to do so while he was still trying to work out what to do with the twins. A small hand touched his and he stared down at his daughter who gave him a weak smile, her eyes intent on his face and whatever she saw there that gave away his mood.

"We won't get in your way, Tou-San, we promise," this came from Ryu who was doing his best to look older and wiser.

A grin tugged at the corner of Kyo's mouth as he said, "Don't be in such a rush to grow up and run into battle, brat. I bet you actually look forward to seeing your old man fight some more."

A blush stained Ryu's cheeks - letting him know that he'd hit the nail on the head - and his son's voice was a little sheepish as he said bravely, "I can take it."

"I think fighting is bad," Aiko declared, ever the peaceful one.

She stared at him before shifting her gaze over to Shinrei and continuing in an even quieter voice, "I don't want people to get hurt."

"Sometimes we don't have a choice, short stuff," Kyo replied before raising his eyes to meet Shinrei's, then Hotaru and Yukimura's in turn. They all reached the same conclusion at the same time as their hands shifted to their individual weapons.

It was quiet now.

Too quiet.

The only warning Kyo had before the attack was the hairs prickling on the back of his neck and he whirled around, stepping in front of the children and deflecting the hail of needles that came his way with lightning speed. He grunted when one caught him in the leg and it went a little numb.

His companions were not quite so fortunate and he heard a thump as the other three fighters slumped to the floor in various states of consciousness.

A low whistle of appreciation sounded and he heard a duet of footsteps approaching from the gloom as the person who had spoken earlier said, "You must be something to else to dodge my attack. Judging by those crimson eyes of yours, you must Kyo. The Demon Child who's supposed to bring doom and gloom to the Mibu clan."

The man stepped into the light and a woman with long dark hair and a piercing stare stepped up next to him. He was dressed simply in baggy black pants, a black sleeveless shirt, and a bandana to hold back his white-blonde hair. His most stand out features though, were a series of needles inserted through his right ear and eye and a cluster of piercings beneath his left eye, the tops of both ears, in his nose and lip and topped off with a long dangling one through his left lobe. It was enough to put even Hotaru's collection to shame.

"I'm Anthony, one of Imperial Guards of Yuan-Sama of the Taishirou," he said, flexing his hands so that the needles clutched between his knuckles glinted in the light.

The woman next to him was dressed in low-riding pants with a sash and a low-cut top that didn't reach her bellybutton with a black band underneath to cover her breasts. Metal glinted at him from her navel and he saw a hint of hoops dangling from her ears beneath her dark hair and he wondered if they had some sort of piercing fetish. A sword was tucked through her sash, proclaiming that she was a warrior as well and her face, while pretty enough, was almost doll-like with its lack of expression.

Her dark eyes moved from him to Hotaru and widened in surprise. She elbowed her glaring companion and pointed at Hotaru's still form as she exclaimed, "Look who it! Put those things away right now, Anthony. Keikoku came home again!"

She smiled exuberantly and it changed her entire demeanor from deadpan to lively in an instant. Aiko poked her head out from behind him at the sound and the woman's breath caught in her throat as her hand flew to her mouth and she started yanking at her companion's shirt urgently.

"He has kids with him, Anthony. _Children_. We haven't seen one of those in years!"

A look of long-suffering crossed the pierced man's face and he said, "Yeah, I know."

"Are you brother and sister?" Aiko inquired.

"And she sounds _so_ cute, too," the woman cooed.

"Yes, we are brother and sister," she took an involuntary step forward with her eyes fixed on his daughter.

Kyo tensed up and tightened his grip on Tenrou and she caught herself, hastily rearranging her face back into the expression of an aloof beauty once more. She couldn't resist stealing glances at the twins though.

Deciding to chance an actual conversation since they weren't attacking again, Kyo asked, "Are you two the kids of a man named Julian?"

The siblings exchanged a look before Anthony asked, "And if we are, what's it to you, Demon Eyes Kyo?"

"I've actually been looking for you."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yay, everyone is slowly getting back together again. They'll scoop up Akira and Tora in the next chapter. We'll find out what's going on with Yuya and Ruru and maaaaaaaybe I'll be able to squeeze in Akari and Bon too. And before anyone asks, no, I am not shipping Yukimura with Shihoudou. He's just a world-class flirt and womanizer and she's a beautiful woman. He can't help himself. ;-)

Thanks again for reading and please let me know what you think.


	55. Limitations and Little Sprites

**Thanks to: general zargon** (Kyo as a daddy is fun to write and I agree, Julian would love the rug rats. Thanks for catching the typo.), **lmamc** (Your wish for more I granted.), **Azure** (Yukimura is a mess. I'll never forget the first time we saw him in the manga, y'know, with his hand shoved down a lady's kimono. I actually think he out pervs Kyo because he seems to chase anything in a skirt. =P Akira vs Tokito is one of my favorite fights and I love them as a couple. I can't wait to write it.), **Yira** (Yukimura is such a pervert but Shihoudou can hold her own with him and then some. Don't forget that Satori isn't the same as mind reading and that someone can still conceal their thoughts to a point so the king may or may not know how Shihoudou feels. Akira is such a grump but he's just what Tokito needs. I'm a pretty big stickler for cannon pairings, so she is gonna' fall for Akira eventually. Kyo, Yuya, and a pair of sexy panties/lingerie make for fun times. ^_^)

 **Author's note:** Sorry for the wait and the short chapter. Lots of stuff going on, including a trip to the hospital for my hubby. He's doing better though.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Forty-Nine**

 **Limitations and Little Sprites**

Akira had hit a snag on his road to greatness.

As a heavy fist pounded into his ribs, a sickening crack sounded and blood filled his mouth. His thoughts halted for a second in the blazing pain that followed and - if he had the use of his eyes - his vision would have blurred.

 _Thump_.

 _Thump_.

The sounds of his own beating were almost rhythmic and he knew that the woman – Heart was her name – wasn't using her full strength. If she were, he would have been dead already. Life had shown him far too many times that the higher placed a person was, the more sadistic they could become. Absolute power corrupted absolutely and he knew he was being taught a lesson.

Don't mess with the Mibu. Don't overstep your boundaries. You are worthless. You are weak.

Pity it was a lesson that refused to take for someone like him. As long as Kyo was in front of him and as long as he drew breath, he would never acknowledge any boundary that kept him from catching up to his mentor.

Because he was who he was, his body was riddled with proof of his determination. Hundreds of scars and lacerations, with bones that had been broken, healed, then broken once more. He had paid the price time and time again with his blood, sweat, tears, anger, and frustration. S _o_ much frustration. It was bottled up inside of him and he nursed it, hoping that it would be the secret ingredient to pushing him over the edge.

But it still wasn't enough. It was never enough.

He missed Bon at that moment.

The giant was an idiot and far too soft-hearted but he remembered large hands catching him when he was still a boy. Always firm but gentle as they pushed him to stand upright while their owner teased him about being a brat with delusions of grandeur. A man who always had everyone's back.

Perhaps it was because he was so close to death and his movements were gradually slowing that a thought occurred to him.

Had Bon always trailed behind the rest of the Shiseiten just so he could be there to support anyone who might fall?

Heart threw another punch his way and he spun with it to soften the blow before swinging his swords in her direction. A presence made itself known behind him though and he was forced to step sideways to avoid the sword that was thrust forward, aiming for his gut.

"Muhyo Getten," he murmured from between swollen lips as he whirled around, noting briefly that it was the short one who had attacked him – Diamond.

The two leapt away from the wickedly sharp spire of ice that erupted in the spot where they had been standing.

On his other side, Benitora more-or-less held his own by sacrificing his clones to avoid mortal blows and Akira gave him marks for endurance – it was clear that the nobleman had actually done what he said he would and trained for this. His companion was bleeding in more than a few places and not making much of a dent in Club's defense but he hadn't died yet, either.

They were in a war of attrition at this point and he hated the fact that four years of intensive training had only netted them the ability to not die immediately when put up against the more powerful members of the Mibu clan.

Those limits he swore he didn't have loomed before him and mocked him for his weakness. He had known when he entered the Mibu lands that he was nearing a roadblock but he could not allow to let that knowledge slow him down. He wasn't close enough to Kyo – not nearly enough.

To close the gap, he had to keep pushing and pushing. _More_ than anyone else. _Harder_ than anyone else. If he could not have the gifts from a privileged birth that his companions had, then he would seize the power with his own two hands.

However, his opponents didn't care about his motivations and he was fast approaching the point where he wouldn't be able to dodge their attacks. And they would eventually grow bored of tormenting him, like all sadists did when their prey didn't cry and weep and beg for mercy. He would _never_ be that child again and would gladly welcome death first.

Still, he was on borrowed time and he knew it.

Akira's own mortality was making itself felt and he was just starting to curse the circumstances that kept him from progressing when he felt the presence of someone else.

So quietly that only someone with a highly developed sense of sound could hear them, a series of little _zings_ whirled through the air towards him. He felt them passing him en masse like a swarm of angry insects – long, thin, and so fast that he knew he wouldn't have been able to track visually.

One after the other, the objects made contact with their opponents until all motion stopped and the three fighters simply collapsed. In the silence that followed, all he could hear was Benitora's labored breathing and the _drip,_ _drip_ of blood from their wounds.

Footsteps sounded, heading in their direction, and he listened intently. He did not hear the echo of soles on the floor and deduced that the person approaching was barefoot.

He forced his damaged body to assume a fighting position once more, naturally distrustful of this newcomer, and Benitora did the same.

A sigh sounded as the person approached and a man's voice said, "You two look like crap."

Akira ignored the comment and demanded, "Are you here to fight as well?"

Just in case, he gathered more ki and the sigh that sounded this time had a note of long-suffering in it as its owner replied, "The two of you were getting your butts handed to you by Tokito's goons. If I wanted you dead, all I had to do was nothing at all."

"Then why did you help us? Who are you?" the young man asked, his suspicious nature in overdrive.

"I'm Anthony and I'm only here because you're friends with Keikoku. He and Demon Eye's Kyo asked me to bring you to my place."

Clothing rustled, the sound of him putting his hands in his pocket and he continued in an irritates voice, "Look, we don't have time for this. I only knocked these idiots out for the time being but they'll shake it off soon enough. Either come with me or stick around and die when Tokito's guards wake up."

The idea of accepting help from this total stranger didn't appeal to him in the slightest but neither did a losing battle. If Kyo was, in fact, a guest in this stranger's house he would take that chance.

He hesitated for a moment while he took the man's measure. Anthony was tall and lanky - about the same height as Akari - with a pose that felt casual on first inspection. But he could tell that would change at a moment's notice if he attacked and he would most definitely lose. After resentfully ascertaining that this stranger was also on another power level from him - like Tokito's lackeys – he slowly re-sheathed his swords and nodded his acceptance of the other man's invitation.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Yes, I'm Ryu-Chan's mother," Yuya replied cautiously, wondering why she sensed hostility from the girl in front of her following her confirmation. Perhaps she was like the rest of the Mibu, mistrustful of outsiders.

Red brows lowered further and the child pinched her lips together, looking her up and down before wrinkling her nose as if she smelled something offensive.

Reminding herself that she was dealing with a child she didn't know, Yuya refrained from calling her out on her rude behavior – for now – and asked, "And your name is?"

"I'm Ruru. If you're here for Ryu-Chan, you need to leave. He belongs to me," came the bold response.

Having just gotten her son back after missing out on years of his life, Yuya was not even remotely interested in kowtowing to this strange girl and she kept her voice firm as she replied, "Ryu-Chan is _my_ son. I came here specifically to get him back."

Ruru frowned and asked, "What does "specifically" mean?"

"It's means he's one of the main reasons why I'm here," she clarified.

"Oh," she put her mutinous expression back on and plowed forward, "Well, like I _said_ , you can't have him back. You didn't want him, so Sendai-Sama gave him to me."

Yuya knew the girl wasn't being cruel on purpose but her heart twisted nonetheless at the very implication that she didn't want her own son. It brought back home the painful reality that she had been living her life in ignorance - completely unaware of the fact that she had a second child. It was only worsened by the memory of finding him and having to listen to the relief in his voice when he found out that he did indeed have a family, complete with parents who actually wanted him.

She could only imagine what he must have thought as he grew older and wondered where he had come from. The soul-crushing grief she had felt the moment Kyo told her that Nozomu wasn't her real brother and that her origins were a mystery was something she wouldn't wish on anyone.

That Ryu had been stolen away before she could even see, hold, or touch him made her want to cry whenever she stopped to think about it. That the Former King – she assumed that's who Sendai-Sama was – had then presumed to give her boy to this strawberry-haired harridan-in-training, like some sort of toy, just made her angry. It only confirmed her earlier assessment that he was an arrogant jerk who felt he could do whatever he wanted by virtue of being the strongest.

She could not keep an edge from creeping into her voice as she replied, "Let's get one thing very clear, I did _not_ give Ryu up. He was stolen from me."

"Then you should have held onto him better," Ruru replied archly, folding her arms across her little chest while trying to look down her nose at her.

The bounty huntress held her tongue and silently counted to ten while she gathered her patience. Getting out of there was her top priority. No matter how tempted she was to give the snotty child a set-down or turn her over her knee, arguing with a girl who knew nothing of what she had gone through to get to this point was beneath her and would just waste what little time she had.

Deliberately gentling her voice, she changed tact and decided to try reasoning with the girl, "How do you think your mother and father would feel if someone stole you away?"

She was hoping to drum up a bit of sympathy so she could safely ask for Ruru's help but was thrown for a loop when the girl responded by giving her a quizzical stare and replying, "I don't have a mother or father."

Fearing that she might have unwittingly blundered into a subject that was painful for the girl, Yuya apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were an orphan."

"What's an orphan?" she asked.

"A child who has lost their parents."

"Well, I don't count then. Hishigi made me. I'm a Rare Breed," she said proudly.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. As far as she knew, most of the people created by the clan were monstrous in appearance but - aside from her unique coloring - this girl looked just like a regular human.

Without thinking about it, she reached out to touch those red-pink locks and Ruru jumped away, suspicion written all over her face.

"I don't mean to scare you," Yuya said, "I just want to know what sort of person has been keeping Ryu-Chan company."

Pink eyes stared her down and she edged closer once again as she replied, "I'm a princess."

"A princess, huh?" she couldn't keep the skepticism out of her voice, "So, is Sendai-Sama your father, after all?"

Ruru looked at her as if she were stupid and replied, "Sendai-Sama is God. He doesn't _need_ anyone."

She paused - perhaps realizing that "anyone" included her as well - and Yuya did not miss the flicker of loneliness that crossed her face as she continued, "He has big plans and can't play with me all the time. That's why he gave me Ryu-Chan."

"I see. And what are these big plans?"

Ruru gave a delicate shrug in response that said, quite eloquently, ' _Don't know, don't care_.'

"And what is Ryu-Chan to you, besides a toy to play with?"

"He's not a toy," the child said vehemently, her eyes all but spitting fire now, and Yuya was fascinated by how quickly she changed gears.

Aside from Akari, she'd never seen such mercurial mood changes and she could just hear the shaman fussing at her in the back of her mind.

 _"How dare you compare the great Akari-Sama to this little brat!"_ is what he would say and she smiled wistfully.

Her last view of Akari had been on the wrong end of his shakujo and his expression had been so cold – like there was another person inhabiting his body. She much preferred his normal naughty-boy antics and that mischievous grin over his hard warrior face and ruthless efficiency.

"He's…my family," Ruru's voice snapped her out of the morose memories about her friend and she stared at the girl.

That chin was up in the air as high as it could go and her posture dared her to contradict her bold claim.

To Yuya, she looked pitiful.

Sheer attitude could not hide the way her small hands trembled, nor could it change the fact that those pink eyes expressed her thoughts and emotions clearly.

To Ruru, she probably thought she was doing a great job of staking her claim on her son but Yuya was not fooled. She might not have been an empath like her daughter but she still had a great deal of empathy. And the young woman saw clearly what was at the root of this strange child's confrontational demeanor.

The girl was terrified. Of her and what her presence here meant for the only family she had. From what she had heard of the Four Elders, they didn't seem the type to give a lone child the time of day outside of Hishigi and his experiments. By her own admission, the king neither viewed nor treated her as family and did not truly need her.

But Ryu had.

To a little girl who had neither mother nor father, she could imagine that her son had literally been a godsend to her. A little playmate and constant companion – someone she could take care of who would rely on her. Someone who would love her unconditionally.

Yuya revised her initial impression. She had decided that the girl was probably fantastically spoiled and used to getting her way because of her attitude but there were different types of spoiled children. Some kids had everything they wanted handed to them at all times, often to keep them out of their parents' hair, and it made them wholly self-centered and lacking in empathy. And then there were others who - while not necessarily mistreated – were very independent because they were neglected, left to their own devices more often than not. They did not lack for the things needed to survive but they lacked for the things they needed to _live_.

She suspected that she was dealing with the latter sort of child and her heart went out to the girl despite her discomfort with the things she said about her and Ryu. That was childish fear talking and she knew better than to take those sorts of comments to heart.

"Ryu-Chan is my family too and I love him dearly," Yuya said, changing tact yet again.

"But, how can you? You don't even _know_ him," Ruru replied, clearly bewildered by the sudden shift in conversation.

"I'm his mother. I loved him when I was still carrying him and his sister and I was very angry when I found out that he had been taken away from me. I was very weak at the time, you see, and could not fight to keep him. It was so unfair," she made sure to sigh heavily at the end to convey the wrongness of what had happened.

Most children had a strong sense of justice and a desire to make fair the unfair things of the world. Asking leading questions would not work with this girl, who answered with her feelings first and foremost, so she needed to appeal to her emotions without being obvious.

"And then, I was shocked when I saw him at last. He's such a cute child and so sweet. Don't you love the way he tilts his head to the side when he has a question?" she asked it in a slightly conspiratorial tone, as if it were a secret shared only between the two of them.

She could see Ruru thinking, probably picturing what her son looked like when he was curious, and a tiny smile touched her lips as she replied, "Yeah, he does that."

"And he always wants to be helpful. He likes to hold hands as well too," Yuya continued.

The girl nodded eagerly and said, "He's always holding onto me."

"And don't forget the hugs. He really likes those."

"He does! You should see him when no one is around. But I have to indulge him because he's still a little kid," her chest puffed out a bit at this.

She was obviously proud of her use of a big word like "indulge" and the bounty huntress stifled a laugh, knowing that this girl had probably needed that physical contact just as much as Ryu.

"Do you know, I came here with Ryu's father…," she paused for effect and Ruru crowded even closer, eager to hear what she had to say.

"…And the two of them are almost exactly alike!"

" _No_!" the girl said breathlessly, her eyes wide at the very idea of a second Ryu.

"Oh yes. You should see them together. It's so cute."

It was like she had handed a gift down from on high to this child who was a clear fan of her son.

"Is he handsome?" she asked eagerly, pink eyes shining with fascination.

"Very. I imagine Ryu will look just like him when he grows up," she replied with a wink.

Ruru pressed her hands to her cheeks and her eyes took on a faraway look. With motherly intuition, Yuya surmised that this girl was probably imagining wedding bells in her future. Despite the age gap between them, Ryu was the only other child around so her fixation wasn't unusual.

The girl's demeanor abruptly changed yet again and she absently rubbed her wrist and asked softly, "Is that why he's so strong? Did he get that from his papa too?"

Yuya nodded and replied, "Yes. His papa is the strongest."

Disbelief crowded Ruru's gaze and she shook her head as she replied, "Uh uh! Sendai-Sama is the strongest. He's God."

Deciding that arguing that point was more likely to cause her to lose what little ground she was gaining, Yuya merely said, "We'll see what happens when the two of them meet."

Ruru paid no heed to the way she dodged the question and continued, "I think that's why Hishigi took him all the time. He's like me, helping the clan to find a cure for the disease."

Eagerness was laced through her tone at the chance to explain how important she and Ryu were to the clan and Yuya's smile turned brittle. She did not care for the reminder that her son had been subject to experimentation for years and found it disturbing that this child seemed to think it was some kind of privilege.

 _'She's still Mibu,'_ she reminded herself. They would go along with anything, no matter how morally questionable, if they felt it was in the best interests of the clan. Too, this child might not have gone through the same things as Aiko and Ryu. And speaking of Aiko…

"Ryu's not the only reason I came here. I also came to get his sister, Aiko, as well."

"Oh, you can take her," Ruru said with a dismissive wave of her hand and Yuya bit back another laugh.

It was plain as day that there was no love lost between this girl and the person she undoubtedly viewed as a rival for Ryu's affections. She could only imagine how their first meeting must have gone and knew Aiko well enough to know that her sheltered daughter had probably completely missed the hostility directed towards her. Ruru considered Ryu her property and his twin would have just been the upstart who was trying to usurp her place in his heart.

"Well, I can't take Aiko if I'm stuck here," Yuya said.

"Why don't you just leave then?" Ruru asked, letting her know that the king had not made it known that Ryu's mother was actually a prisoner.

"I don't know my way around this castle. Besides, my husband is coming for me."

"He is? How do you know?" Ruru asked.

The bounty huntress couldn't help the way her cheeks heated beneath that steady gaze and she felt an automatic smile tugging at her lips as she replied confidently, "Because he loves me."

The child's lips parted on a little awe-filled, "Oh. That's…that's just like in a fairytale. Are you a princess too?"

Yuya chuckled and replied, "You sound just like my friend, Akari. No, I'm not a princess. I actually hunt bounties when I'm not running off to rescue my children."

"What are bounties?"

"I catch bad guys and get paid for turning them in so they can't hurt anyone else."

Ruru's breath caught and her eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought of meeting someone who lived such an adventurous life. Yuya did not disabuse her of the notion or bring up the fact that it was an incredibly dangerous profession, especially for a woman. Instead, she allowed her to ruminate on that for a bit.

She could see the child coming to a decision and could have jumped for joy when she said cautiously, "Maybe I can help you. I know the castle really well. The only people who know it are Sendai-Sama and the Elders. And maybe Sakuya-San."

That gave Yuya pause. She originally wanted to see if Ruru could help her escape but she had completely forgotten about Sakuya. If the shaman was as important to the king as she'd been lead to believe, then it was understandable that he would keep her very close. The temptation to finally meet the woman who was her brother's real sister, had once captured Kyo's affections, and who held Kyoshiro's heart now was too much to resist. Besides, she was certain Kyo was on his way here and knew she wouldn't stand a chance against any soldier who was good enough to guard the king.

The wisest course to take was obvious.

"Can you please take me to meet, Sakuya-San?" she asked and the girl took only a moment to consider it before nodding.

"You'll like her. She's nice."

"I'm sure she is," Yuya replied.

"Follow me then," she said imperiously and the young woman waited until her back was turned before rolling her eyes and smiling in amusement.

Even though she wasn't a fan of her bossiness, she still thought she was cute and appreciated the fact that she cared so much for Ryu. The Mibu clan was going to fall soon, of that she had no doubt, and she hoped she could bring Ruru with her when it all came crashing down.

Scanning the room once more, she hesitated for a second as her eyes alighted on the see-through gown. Although she didn't really have any place to stow it she _really_ wanted to keep it as a gift for Kyo, a "thank you" of sorts for everything that he had done on her behalf and all that he meant to her. Shooting a surreptitious glance towards the little girl's back, she quickly scooped up the garment and held it close to her chest before following her out of the room.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hotaru wasn't given to nostalgia but the place he was in at the moment was full of memories. Some of them pleasant, some of them not so nice, but all of them were full of warmth.

No matter where he went, this place had a special place in his heart. He'd fought here. Almost laughed here. Ate here. And slept here.

This was home.

While his father and brother lived the high life in a big fancy house amongst the other Mibu nobles, he had lived here. In a tiny space where the tatami mats were ancient, the walls were in desperate need of whitewashing, and he knew where most of the holes in them had come from because he was responsible for them.

It was a crap hole no matter how you sliced it but it was always warm and smelled nice. And it was never quiet.

As if he had only left to find his own way yesterday, he heard the male quintuplets bickering while their female counterparts compared the weight they had lost or gained. Ryu sat here watching the five of them while he tried to figure out how they all managed to look so similar with the exception of Erian.

Anna yelled and Angelica tried to keep the peace while doing her chores, explaining to Aiko the best way to wash clothes, and shooting a glance his way from time to time.

This was the closest thing he knew to family and he lay back on the floor in a half doze while he waited for Anthony to return with their friends.

"This place is certainly very boisterous," Shinrei said on the other side of him and he turned his head to stare at the silver-haired man who was examining his surroundings with a bemused expression. Kyo kept to himself in the corner, sipping a cup of sake and observing the way his children interacted with Yuan's family.

All of them were wearing borrowed clothes while Angelica mended and washed the blood out of their old outfits.

Hotaru wondered what his brother thought of the place he saw as home. Did he look down on the squalid conditions or did he feel the warmth as well? If it was the former, he would deck him for being such a snob. If it were the latter, he would rub it in his face that he had more family than him.

"I think lively is a much better word for it," Yukimura said cheerfully as he ogled Angelica's rear while she hung the laundry to dry. For some reason, the predatory expression on his face made him want to punch the older man and the feeling persisted when he turned his attention to Anna as well.

Sensing his regard, the blonde woman turned to fix him with a hard look and pointed at him with the sharp knife she had been using to chop vegetables.

"If you've got time to stare at my behind, then you've got time to help out. Bring those over here."

She gestured toward a basket of carrots in the corner and Yukimura smiled genially and said, "As you wish, my lady."

As a woman who had low tolerance for any sort of foolishness, she snorted and watched him approach with her hands planted firmly on her hips. Next to him, Shinrei shuddered slightly and Hotaru followed his line of sight to the basket of carrots. So his brother didn't care for them, huh? He filed that bit of info away for later pranks.

Once Yukimura was seated again, he leaned over towards Hotaru and whispered, "She's a formidable woman, isn't she?"

"She's an old maid," Hotaru stated bluntly and immediately dodged to the side the moment the words left his mouth to avoid the pan she hurled at his head.

"I see you haven't fixed that smart tongue, Keikoku!" Anna thundered.

"It's Hotaru," he replied.

"What?"

"My name's Hotaru now," he repeated.

Something he couldn't identify shadowed her expression and the room grew quieter.

A knock sounded and they all turned as one to look at the door as it slid open to admit a very beat up Akira and Benitora, followed by Anthony who had an expression on his face that said this entire thing was a hassle.

Angelica made her way over to the newcomers with Kyo's daughter in her wake and started fussing over them as well. Unsurprisingly, she and Anna were still the main ones keeping things together but he felt a new tension in the air now and it only increased the moment Anthony entered the room.

Their eyes met, and Hotaru sat up straighter at the look of challenge in those pale orbs. He might have been slow at many things but he knew a fight was brewing and when Anna finished the meal and set it before them, Anthony made sure he took the spot directly across from him.

They kept an eye on each other, chopsticks at the ready, and the moment they each had a bowl of rice on their hand, they made their move. With blinding speed, they snatched up and transferred veggies from the plate between them on the table to their individual bowls and started eating at a furious pace.

It was over in seconds and they both put their empty bowls down at the same time, shooting satisfied smiles at each other.

"It's a record-breaking tie!" the quintuplets exclaimed cheerfully.

Anthony smirked and said, "Looks like you haven't lost your touch, Keikoku."

"Same to you, Anthony," he responded with a smirk of his own as he sat back, "That makes 99 wins, 99, losses, and 99 ties."

The other man chuckled and for a moment, it truly _was_ like he had never left.

Unfortunately, it didn't last and the other man's mirth melted away as quickly as it has come as he broached the subject that they had covered before he invited them to come back to his home.

His tone was deadly serious as he asked, "Do you still intend to fight Yuan, Keikoku?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Thanks for reading folks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the long-awaited meeting between Sakuya and Yuya. Hotaru will probably fight Anthony. I'm still going to try and squeeze Bon and Tokito in here and there will continue to be more plot advancement.

As always, thanks for reading. And please let me know what you think, especially if you have been reading and enjoying this and might not have commented before. I really do appreciate and try to take to heart any comments and constructive criticisms my readers might have and it really encourages me. It really lifts me up when I have those sad moments, you know the ones I'm talking about.


	56. Strange Families and Clumsy Mikos

**Thanks to: Yira** (Yuya will meet Sakuya below and the king will catch Yuya again. Akari will show up again shortly and he'll be sad but Kyo won't hold his actions against him. They still have to fight first though. Yukimura is always fun to write. He's such a flirt!), **general zargon** (Lol, I divvy up my writing between my computer and my phone and I hate auto-correct sometimes, especially if you're using a swipe keyboard. Glad you liked the conversation between Yuya and Ruru, they'll get along eventually and I do think she needs a little love considering the king is going to die soon. Julian's family is so adorable, I love them because they remind me a lot of my own, very boisterous.), **lmamc** (I've been dying to have Yuya meet Sakuya for a while now so I'm super excited for this chapter.)

 **Author's note:** Hotaru means firefly. There might be a few typos, I still have to go through and proofread the latter half of this chapter. I apologize ahead of time.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty**

 **Strange Families and Clumsy Mikos**

The look on Keikoku's face was uncharacteristically alert and determined as he nodded firmly and replied, "Yes."

Shinrei observed intently the way Anthony's body language changed in that instant and he was unsurprised when the other man reached out and grabbed a handful of the front of his brother's clothes.

Hauling him upright with one hand, he shoved his face close and snapped, "Don't be an idiot, Keikoku! We just got you back. You're one of us, almost blood kin. No one here wants to see you throw your life away!"

"I have to do this Anthony," his brother said calmly, "I left to make my own way and I finally found friends and a place for myself with Kyo and the rest. I need this so that I can move forward as Hotaru of the Shiseiten. I can't be Keikoku anymore."

The needle master let the fire-user go and made a sound of disgust as he continued, "You haven't changed one bit! Always punching above your weight like you did when you ran off to fight the king and left. Do you know how freaked out we were at the thought of you dying? Do you think we enjoyed that?! And now you want to go and fight Yuan when you aren't even strong or fast enough to dodge my attacks. I'm a walk in the park compared to my brother."

"I've already told you about awakening your latent power but, even if I did that, you'd still be no match for him since he can talk to his sword and you can't. He's on a whole 'nother level, idiot!"

The silver-haired man could absolutely understand where Anthony was coming from. For a brief period of time, when they were younger and he was more naïve, he had entertained delusions of molding his brother into an acceptable member of the clan so that he could acknowledge him properly. He had never asked to be an only child and he wanted to know what it was like to actually have a sibling, someone he could speak honestly with. It didn't seem right after their father's death that he should be considered the last of their family line solely on a technicality.

He'd made the arrangements and helped Keikoku where he could so that they could serve as Goyosei members together. And had learned the hard way that his brother would always do his own thing, whether it was sensible or not. No sooner had he become one of the Five Stars then he had gone off to fight with the king and been banished, after which he took up with Kyo and the rest was history.

Fast-forward to the present and he was uncomfortably aware of the fact that he was now the outsider, the person who had no one. He had arrogantly believed that he was doing Keikoku a favor by helping him elevate his status so that he would be good enough for him to talk to. He'd been far too concerned about what his fellow aristocrats would think about him reaching out to his illegitimate brother, even without his father around to give his blessing.

Keikoku was right, he was such a snob.

While he had been patting himself on the back about his generosity in trying to make something of his air-headed brother, said brother had already made a life for himself and found a family on the way. As he scanned his dilapidated surroundings, he didn't focus on how shabby it was or how tiny it was, rather he focused on the comfort of the place. He had grown up in the lap of luxury with every possible amenity and yet, this place was different. His father had left him a stately mansion filled with rare and expensive treasures that served as shelter whenever he left his preferred lodgings with the rest of the Goyosei. But it wasn't the same as this.

This place was a home. Something he didn't have and hadn't realized he lacked until observing the way his half-brother interacted with Yuan's family. Keikoku was far more relaxed here than he had ever been at any point in their strife-filled acquaintance and he hastily picked up his chopsticks and snagged a mouthful of Anna's rice with the vegetable melee on top. It a meal for an impoverished family but the warmth and care that had been put into its preparation was still evident. He'd never had anything quite like it.

Shinrei grimaced as he bit into a carrot but forced himself to soldier through the taste and texture of the horrid root. He didn't want to be rude and it allowed him to concentrate on something else besides the fact that he was lacking as a brother. These people were more Keikoku's family than his own flesh and blood and he felt a pang of regret.

In the back of his head, a foreign feeling of concern surfaced and he paused for a moment, turning his gaze to meet Aiko's. The girl ducked her head to avoid his eyes, no doubt remembering his harsh words to her back in the Labyrinth and he sighed. He did not regret what he said but he should not have said it in the manner he had. Rather, he should have given more consideration to her age and motives instead of lashing out.

 _'_ _I'll apologize to her later,'_ he thought before his attention was brought to Anthony and Keikoku once more.

"If you're that determined to go off to die then you'll have to fight me first. Show me your determination, Keikoku," Anthony demanded.

"It's Hotaru," Keikoku insisted as he stood tall as well and the two glowered at each other. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as they began to raise their ki in preparation for a fight.

A heavy ladle flew through the ear and clocked Anthony upside the head, causing him to groan and shake his head in pain, and Shinrei turned to stare in amazement at the tall blonde woman who seemed to run this home like a well-oiled machine.

Anna placed her hands on her hips and fury was writ large upon her face as she said in a booming voice, "Not in the house you don't! Take your pissing contest outside before I knock the fool out of both of you!"

He wondered if he were hallucinating when Keikoku – who never followed anyone's instructions – actually scratched his head and muttered, "Sorry, Anna."

His brother then turned and, motioning towards his opponent, exited the house with the other man in tow.

"This oughta be interesting," Kyo said with a smirk as he sipped his sake.

"Agreed. I'm curious as to how that fool plans to win," Akira replied as he rubbed a hand over his bandaged ribs. The female duo out of the Quintuplets – he still had a hard time telling them apart – had wasted no time in getting the blind man's top off so that they could bandage him up.

Like the rest of the Goyosei, Shinrei had received a profile on Kyo and the people who traveled with him. By most standards Akira was completely average, without a drop of noble blood to set him apart from the rest of humanity. Thus, he'd been shocked once his clothes came off and he caught sight of the number of scars decorating his body.

Punctures, slashes, bruises, and slight malformations beneath his skin where his bones hadn't knitted together as cleanly as in other spots. There were only a few strips of skin here and there that _weren't_ marred in some way and respect had welled up in him. It was clear that Akira had worked incredibly hard to rise above his fellow humans and he could appreciate the sheer amount of effort it must have taken for the younger man to get where he was.

"Aren't you going to go watch?" Shinrei asked.

"Don't need to. If Hotaru wants to follow me to face the king again, he'll come out on top. If you're so worried about him, why don't you go and babysit him? He might be strong but he's still an idiot most of the time," Kyo replied.

An automatic denial about worrying over his silly brother leapt to his tongue but he didn't let it get past his lips. Instead, he stared down at his food for a moment and tried to figure out how he could excuse himself without being rude to their hosts.

"Well, I'm going to go watch. Maybe I'll pick up some tricks from Hotaru-Han," Benitora said with a grin as he shrugged his shirt back on over his bandages and stood up.

"I'll admit to being curious as well," Yukimura chimed in as he stood, "Although I do hate the thought of giving up the view."

He winked at the quintuplet girl-pair - Marian and Lillian - and the two of them giggled. Anna sighed and shook her head while their brothers laughed and made faces accompanied with loud kissing sounds.

Shinrei wanted to follow the two noblemen but continued to hesitate. He didn't want to appear as if he were actually concerned about his brother but, at the same time, his interest was piqued. How would his brother fight when pitted against someone he actually cared about? Had Keikoku actually gotten strong enough to take on someone who was on a higher level than the Five Stars? Shinrei keenly felt his lack of power the closer they got to the center of Onmyouden Castle and disliked the thought of his sibling pulling ahead of him. Like Benitora, he too was curious about what the other man had up his sleeve.

He sensed a presence next to him and turned to stare into the dark eyes of Anthony's sister, Angelica. Unless someone shocked her, she was generally difficult to read and her gaze was penetrating. Uncomfortable beneath that assessing stare, he stiffened and turned his attention back the food in front of him.

"You should go watch him, Shinrei-San," she said softly.

He gave a start but quickly recovered as he replied, "Now that I've seen what he's like here, it's clearer than ever that I am unneeded. There's no point in me going to see him get worked over by your brother."

"But you're worried about him, aren't you?"

"Hardly. He's a grown man - as odd as that may sound in light of his careless personality. He doesn't need me."

Was he supposed to feel this uncomfortable at speaking that truth out loud? That his outcast younger brother - who he had always viewed as less fortunate than himself – had more of the things that counted than him?

"I wouldn't say that," the woman said.

"You know, the two of you were pretty famous back in the day because of the situation with your father. His behavior towards the child of a concubine was talked about, even here. I remember my dad complaining about it because he couldn't stand the idea of someone rejecting his own blood like that. As you can tell, he really likes kids," she gestured to the six siblings remaining in the room.

"Tell me, why did your old man stop sending assassins to kill Keikoku? He wasn't known for being reasonable when it came to something he had set his mind to."

Shinrei felt that was an understatement. His father was an autocrat of the worst kind and he had made sure to prove himself before daring to broach the subject of his brother with him. He promised to handle Keikoku on his own and that had appeased their sire and given his brother a reprieve until his father died and became a non-factor.

"I said I would handle him," he replied, barely above a whisper and felt his cheeks heat with embarrassment at the satisfied smile she gave him.

"But then father died and it seemed a waste to get rid of him. I thought it would be better if he could be of use to the Mibu clan."

"And so, you arranged for him to become one of the Five Stars," she deduced.

"I didn't make him a member. The choice was not up to me," he quickly denied.

"No, but you helped him by putting his name in as a candidate because, let's face it, he wouldn't be anyone's first pick for such a prestigious position. And then, _somehow_ , he managed to pass the parts of the test that actually required him to use his brain," her brows raised while her smile widened and his discomfort grew.

"Are you implying that I helped him to cheat?" he asked, pumping as much offense into his voice as possible in the hopes that she would back down from this line of questioning.

She didn't. Instead she laughed and said, "Of course you did! Keikoku might be a prodigy when he has a sword in his hand but he's about as sharp as a brick when it comes to anything book-related. Do you know, Anthony studied to become one of the Five Stars as well because he was competing with him? Alas, he was no match for his idiot friend with a genius older half-brother to look over his shoulder."

"I'm hardly a genius," he demurred.

"Fine. His very driven, darn-near-close-to-perfect older brother who was legendary amongst the clan for excelling at whatever he set his mind to. For slackers like my family, you were on a completely different plane of existence."

It should have been flattering but it only made him even more uncomfortable. He excelled because it was expected of him. Him father would accept nothing less and neither would Fubuki. Dwelling on how he had achieved perfection only sent his thoughts down darker paths and made him hate even more how he had been manipulated by his superiors. Perhaps helping his hated brother had been his unconscious way of rebelling against the idea that his family should only consist of those his sire found acceptable.

"Let's pretend for a moment that I did help him to cheat," he had but he didn't feel like opening that can of worms with this woman.

"It was meaningless anyways. He challenged the king, lost, and abandoned the clan to follow a man we had been taught would ruin us. Hearing that he had joined forces with the Demon Child was a black mark against all of us."

He inclined his head in Kyo's direction by way of both acknowledgement and apology and the other man nodded in acceptance. Although they knew better now, he was still appalled by his ignorance and the way he had behaved in the past towards the him.

"In the end, no matter what I may or may not have done, it all fell apart and we were made fools of."

It had been a severe blow to his pride and he had felt like a failure for not successfully integrating his half-brother into his way of life. He was Shinrei - the ever-diligent son, servant, and protector of both the Mibu clan and his family name - he wasn't supposed to fail at anything.

"Shinrei…no matter how roundabout your methods were, you just wanted a better life for your brother," he gave a start and stared at her - denials about caring for Keikoku crowding his tongue yet again - but she didn't give him time to argue.

"There is nothing shameful about that," she said gently, "You just didn't bank on Keikoku being…well, Keikoku. Really, how could you? The two of you had been separated for pretty much all of your life."

There was truth in that statement and he wondered if he had not, perhaps, been as big a fool as he thought after that fiasco.

"Now, we've given those two muscle-heads enough time to beat the crap out of each other. How about we go and see what the boys are up? I can only imagine the mess I'll have to clean up," Angelica sighed, rolling her eyes as she stood up and brushed imaginary dust from her thighs.

As if to punctuate her words, a loud crash sounded outside and the floor trembled beneath them. Shinrei cast his senses out towards the battling duo and noticed that his brother's ki was wavering a bit, indicating that he was indeed having a time of it. He was on his feet before he knew it and he nodded in the young woman's direction before striding out of the room as well, completely missing the knowing look she shared with Anna and the quintuplets before following him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hotaru decided that he hated needles. Trying to guess their trajectory was annoying because they were easily concealed and so small that dodging them was a right pain. Too, there was the fact that a well-placed needle could render entire groups of muscles useless all at once and left him at Anthony's mercy.

However, he did not hate Anthony.

The two of them had history and he was the only other rival that he acknowledged besides his real brother. If nerdy, loud-mouthed Anthony were a weakling, he would have been seriously disappointed but, as it was, he actually _could_ walk the walk. Despite the fact that he hated the other man's weapon of choice, he was running out of breath, _and_ half of his limbs weren't obeying him because of the needles embedded in them, he was still enjoying himself.

He had missed this. This feeling of being home and bickering good naturedly with Yuan's rowdy family. Even though he'd tried to reject his past, he could embrace this part of it – Kyo had taught him that. Having people to care about wouldn't make him a weakling, as he once believed.

"A man who's losing this badly should be grinning like an idiot," Anthony growled.

Always so serious. Nothing had changed about the other man and Hotaru made sure he goaded him on by sticking his tongue out and blowing a raspberry at him before saying, "I'm just going easy on you. I'm still going to win."

In truth, he was pretty bad shape. His left arm dangled and refused to obey him, courtesy of the bits of metal sticking out of it, and he was slower than his opponent by a pretty wide margin but he was still confident in his ability to come out on top. Another thing he had learned from Kyo was that anything could happen, even miracles, as long as he never gave up.

It was a disgustingly positive outlook on life when compared to his previous way of thinking but he liked the changes that had been happening inside of him. Fighting for himself and _only himself_ was what Keikoku had done and it had never made him feel the way it did now that he had cast his old persona aside. Light. Excited. Happy….almost.

He was happier as Hotaru than he had been as Keikoku and he did not want that feeling to go away, not when he'd spent his entire life fighting to have it.

"Get your head out of the clouds!" said a voice from behind him and he dodged the hail of needles that embedded themselves in the ground where he'd been just a split-second before.

It was Shinrei who had warned him. He frowned momentarily but let it go just as quickly. For some reason, it didn't bother him so much to have his brother watching his fight, even with Anthony giving him such a workout. Perhaps it was because so much of the wind had been taken out of his pompous sails of late. Snobby Shinrei had taken a backseat to a much humbler version and he didn't feel like killing him quite as much these days. Of course, he still hated him, but he felt as if he could be generous and hold off on his planned execution as long as his sibling continued to become a better person. At this point, he was more interested in seeing _how_ his brother would continue to change than worrying about how he would end him.

For the first time, it occurred to him that he was actually willing to turn his back to him now, whereas before he always kept one eye on him to make sure he wouldn't take him out unawares. It was a lot like his rivalry with Anthony but more profound because of who his brother was and the way their relationship had been for years. The unspoken rule of "I can kill you but no one else is allowed to" was still there but now he felt as if he might be marginally saddened by the loss of his brother.

He had been ignoring Yukimura and Benitora as they watched but more ki signatures soon made themselves apparent and he realized that Angelica had joined as a watcher as well. A loud cluster of voices announced the arrival of the quintuplets.

"Man, I thought he would be dead by now," said one of the guys - Kirian he thought.

"Right?! Let's cheer him on," said the blonde Erian.

"Yo, Keikoku, kick his butt for us!" this was Yurian who gave a fist pump and hollered.

"Go, go, Keikoku! Whoop him good!" the females cheered and Anthony sucked his teeth.

"Looks like they like me better than you," Hotaru teased him and back-flipped out of the way of yet another hail of needles.

"As if that matters," his opponent growled, spitting off to the side.

"I'm getting tired of going easy on you, Keikoku. It's time to ramp it up. I apologize in advance if I happen to kill you," he continued, crossing his arms over each other and stabbing needles into his shoulders.

His ki rose and Hotaru was mesmerized by the way his muscles bulged and distorted in response, pushing him into a form that fell well outside of human bounds.

"Woah, what happened to your body Anthony?" he asked in awe, "You look like some sort of mutant."

Kirian, Erian, and Yurian guffawed and said, "Hear that Anthony? We told you that you look crazy in that form."

Anthony ignored them as he said, "I already told you that I'm like dad - a needle master. I can heal illnesses and injuries, kill, and even boost my own power with my needles. In fact…"

Hotaru had already head a variation of this before and he cut him off before he could continue with, "You still talk too much. Your needles are cool and all but this isn't over."

The word "over" had barely left his lips before an elbow smashed into the top of his head and he was sent towards the ground. He tasted blood and turned his head as he fell to try and follow Anthony's movements but a knee to his gut halted his downward momentum and sent him staggering back.

 _'_ _How did he get in front of me so quickly?'_ he wondered, staring at Anthony's distorted figure as he straightened in front of him. The other man's arms blurred and he wondered if he were seeing double but discarded it the moment he saw a hundred different points of light around his enemy's limbs and watched as they came his way. The attack was too fast for him to discern the needles heading his way with the naked eye and he grunted as those deadly beams connected with his body, slamming him against the wall which cracked behind him.

"So, how do you like my secret technique, Kouryuuha, Keikoku?" Anthony asked as he staggered and fell to his knees.

An attack so fast that he could neither see the weapons with his eyes nor pick them up at all with his other senses. A moment of doubt crept into his mind as he realized that defeating it by conventional means would be pretty much impossible.

"I can't believe you're this weak, Keikoku," the other man said, walking over to gaze down at him. Hotaru felt the weight of his stare on the top of his head and only half listened as he kept on talking.

"To think I used to admire you and that desire to defeat the Crimson King. I even wanted to be in the Goyosei like you because I thought how awesome it was that you were so sure of yourself. No one else in the Mibu was like you. No one else would dare to stand up to the king. You were amazing!"

In the background, Hotaru would hear his brother talking with Angelica and he listened in because he had nothing better to do while he tried to work out how Anthony planned to defeat him.

"He's taking this very personally," Shinrei remarked.

"Anthony is super protective of anyone he considers family. He took Keikoku's abandonment the hardest of anyone. We all felt as if he'd just up and thrown us away. Like we were unimportant. It broke our hearts when he left and I don't think my brother ever forgave him for that."

Angelica wasn't wrong. Although he'd liked Yuan's family, they had been less important than his goal of being the best. Better than Shinrei. Better than the king. And especially better than his father. He would make everyone acknowledge him and the fact that a worthless, throw-away bastard was the strongest.

It was still his goal but it had lost a little of its shine. His father was dead and Shinrei had admitted that he was in the wrong. Too, he had lost the right to kill the king to Kyo. Now, all he had left were his friends and yet, he had traded an empty life for one that was loud and in his face but fun. So much fun.

"After what you put us through, where do you get the balls to go off and fight Yuan?!" Anthony's cool was fading and Hotaru tuned back into the conversation when he heard the wild emotion in his voice.

Warning bells went off in his head and his body told him that the danger level was increasing as he was unceremoniously grabbed by the front of his shirt and hauled upright so that Anthony could stare into his eyes. Hotaru saw fury reflected back at him and because he knew better now than he had in the past what having a family could mean to someone, he actually understood where Anthony was coming from.

Family was when you put yourself on the line to keep the people you loved safe. He'd learned that from Kyo and his wife.

Family was when you would put aside your differences to help someone out, even if you hated them. This, surprisingly, was something he had only just realized after giving thought to why his brother had allowed him to cheat off of his test.

Family was a warm place to sleep, good food, and fun times. Yuan's home was his home. Yuan's family was his family.

And it was that same family that drove Anthony so hard. That put all that anger and hurt into his voice as he yelled into his face, "Quit screwing around!"

Light flashed as his clothes were released and then he was slammed into the ground as his opponent shouted, "Kouryuuha!"

His body was riddled with a hundred stings all at once and Anthony didn't stop there either. Again and again he used that same attack on him and he took it all because he didn't have a counter for it. The only thing he could do was tighten his hand around the hilt of his sword and ride it out.

"Hotaru-Han, give in or you'll die!" as if from a distance, he heard that useless guy who followed Kyo fussing at him. What was his name again? Tiger something?

"Keikoku!" this was someone else and he squinted his eyes just a bit so that he could look in his brother's direction.

He might have been dreaming of course, but Shinrei almost looked like he cared. His lips were moving and he had that comically earnest look on his face that drove him crazy and made him want to do the exact opposite of whatever his uptight sibling expected from him.

 _'_ _Such a nagging old fart,'_ he thought but his lips curled a little anyways.

In his mind, he knew he would die and soon if he allowed Anthony to continue beating on him and that just didn't sit right with him. He had _finally_ gotten to the point where he could actually enjoy his life and he had so many people to hang with. Kyo, who couldn't keep his hands off his wife and Kyo's Wife who was useless in battle but one of the kindest people he'd ever met. Mini-Kyo and Girl-Kyo who were underfoot all the time but interesting all the same, if only because he so rarely interacted with children. Akira and Bon – his competition on his way to the top. And he couldn't forget that they needed to rescue Akari so that he could continue to be weird and make them all laugh with his antics. Even Shinrei got a mention for taking the time out to talk to him and finally acknowledge him as his brother – something their father had never even attempted to do.

That's why he couldn't die here.

He _wouldn't_ die here!

There was far too much to live for. More battles to fight. More friends to make. And he wouldn't allow _anyone_ , not even Anthony, to deprive him of his due.

As if it too was cheering him on, his sword grew warm in his hand and he heard a silvery sound before light filled his body and brought with it a rush of power that pounded through his veins. Ki kept welling up out of him and it called forth the fire that was his element of choice until it was pouring out of him, engulfing him in a pillar of flame that flashed up and hit the ceiling. The plumes of fire twisted and writhing against the stones above and he heard the sizzle as they started eating through them.

"What the…!" Anthony leapt away in self-defense and everything clicked at once.

As if he had been reborn anew, the pain in his body melted away and Hotaru knew he had this. He was going to win and move forward with his friends. No one was going to stop him and Anthony was now wide open.

As easy as 1, 2, 1, he ended the battle.

One, he got to his feet.

Two, the distance between them melted in the blink of an eye.

Three, he pressed the short blade on his hilt firmly against Anthony's throat and called the battle.

"You lose, Anthony. I'm Hotaru, deal with it."

The other man stared back at him in shock and the two of them held their positions until his old rival heaved a sigh, scrapping his Adam's apple against his sword, and said, "Fine. You're Hotaru now."

Hotaru nodded and slowly stepped away before his legs gave out on him and the power that had filled him fled back to place where it had come from. He sat down hard on the ground and slumped as he tried to catch his breath.

"Honestly, you finally talk to your sword and you only manage to do it long enough to beat me, you're such a freaking pain. Since you're so determined to name yourself after a firefly, of all things, how about I make your butt glow like one."

"What…?" he turned as he tried to figure out what Anthony meant right before he felt a stabbing pain in his rear.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Now you have to stay quiet. There aren't a lot of guards here but you can still get in trouble. Sendai-Sama doesn't like too many people wandering around the castle," Ruru said as she led Yuya down three flights of stairs and through corridor after corridor.

Onmyouden castle wasn't a maze per se - each level was laid out in roughly the same manner – but it was insanely huge.

"How in the world did you even know where to find me?" she asked her small guide and the girl looked back over her shoulder with a grin.

"Ryu taught me how to sense people. He's _really_ good at finding me when we play – especially now that he's trained with Shinrei-Sama - so I asked him to show me how he does it. I can't search very far but when I heard form Sendai-Sama that you were here I thought he would probably put you up someplace high. So, I started at Sakuya-San's level and worked my way up. It's didn't take long at all."

Looking at their humongous surroundings, Yuya was dubious about that last claim, but she left it alone. She was too excited about finally meeting Sakuya to worry about the grandiose claims of a lonely child.

"We're almost there. It's on this level," Ruru murmured and Yuya's anticipation only continued to grow.

She had imagined this meeting so many times ever since she'd heard about Sakuya while traveling with Kyo in the early days and her curiosity only grew more time she spent listening to Kyoshiro talk about her. As far as he was concerned, she was the prettiest woman on the planet with a smile that made her look like a goddess. The embodiment of all that was good and sweet and the light of his life - a woman who was loved and adored by all. Her friend was truly, madly, and deeply in love with the seer and she was dying to know more about Nozomu's real sister.

A tiny part of her wanted to know how she measured up to this female paragon who should have been raised by her brother instead of an abandoned child of unknown parentage. Even though she had come to terms with the fact that she did not truly share Nozomu's blood, she couldn't help but feel as if she had usurped the other woman's position. Or worse, that she had just been a replacement for the real thing.

Yuya shook her head to rid it of such depressing thoughts. She was doing both herself and Nozomu a disservice by going down that path. Her brother's love for her had been real, of that she was convinced. If he hadn't shown her how to love, she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between what she felt for him and what Kyo made her feel.

As they stopped in front of an ornate door, she took a deep breath and prayed that she would make a good impression. The young woman reached up to knock but Ruru beat her to the punch and simply pushed the door open without preamble.

"I brought Ryu-Chan's mama, Sakuya-San," she declared as she marched into the room.

Yuya blushed at her rudeness and awkwardly poked her head into the miko's room as she said, "Pardon the intrusion."

The room inside was filled with light from windows that were thrown wide open and she marveled at the opulence of the space. She'd thought her room was nice but it had nothing on this place. This was a room fit for an empress. Clearly, Sakuya was very well kept and she scanned the space by the window to see if she could find its inhabitant.

She heard the rustle of clothing and a calm, almost musical voice, said, "It's no intrusion at all. Welcome at last, Yuya-San. I've been waiting to meet you for a long time."

The bounty huntress took a cautious step inside and paused, taking in the woman who sat before her on a seat next to the window. Her clothes were unusual. A long white robe with red trimmings around her sleeve and a color of the same color. The ties of the robe were of gold braid and, just like her own clothes and the naughty gown she was clutching in her other hand, were of very fine material.

However, her finery was outshone by the loveliness of the woman herself. No one would ever have guessed that she was actually a couple years older than Kyoshiro. She had one of those faces that most women would kill for with an ageless sort of beauty consisting of white skin, inky black hair with perfectly cut bangs, and gently bowed lips. Her eyes were dark but they sparkled with life and secrets and Yuya suddenly felt woefully inadequate.

She could see why both Kyo and Kyoshiro had been in love with this woman and she self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she crept further into the room and offered a bow of respect.

Sakuya blinked and held her hands up self-consciously as she said, "Oh, please don't be so formal! I'm so happy to see you in person. I don't get many visitors at all, especially now that Yukimura-San went to meet Kyo."

Yuya didn't miss the informal way she used Kyo's name and reminded herself that the miko had once been very close with her husband but had chosen Kyoshiro in the end.

"So, you already knew Ryu-Chan's mother was here?" Ruru asked, deflating a little at the thought that her surprised wasn't really a surprised at all.

"Oh yes, I've been waiting to have a little chat for her. Ah, but I have to prepare some tea," she rose quickly and Yuya watched in bemusement as Kyoshiro's "goddess" took one step forward and tripped over her feet.

The seer almost fell down the steps leading from the window seat and had to catch herself on a nearby table that housed an exquisite tea set.

"Now, where did I put that moss," she mused out loud and Yuya grimaced at the idea of moss tea.

She was forced to rushed over and help, though, when the miko stumbled over a chair that even a blind man could have avoided and her arms windmilled wildly as she tried to maintain her balance. Yuya caught one of those flailing limbs and yanked her upright before guiding her to the same chair she'd just tripped over and pushing her down into it.

"Why don't I help you?" she asked, doing her best to bite back laughter. Ruru had no such compunctions and her giggles filled the air.

The seer had suddenly gotten a lot more human and was much more approachable by extension and she was heartened by the relieved smile Sakuya flashed her.

"Sakuya is _really_ clumsy," Ruru stated the obvious in between peals of laughter.

A flush lit the miko's cheeks and she twiddled her fingers in embarrassment as she said, "It's true. Kyo said I could take out a whole army by myself. All they had to do was put a pebble in my way and my clumsiness would take care of the rest."

Yuya winced at the meanness of Kyo's jest but her companion only laughed and continued, "And then Kyoshiro insisted that I wasn't _that_ bad. Of course, it would have been more convincing if he wasn't sporting a black eye at the time. I'd hit him by accident during one of my worse moments. According to Kyo, I qualified as a lethal weapon."

Kyo's wife rolled her eyes heavenward because she could totally picture her husband saying that and decided to add her own tale about Kyo's behavior.

"Kyo is something else. Do you know, when we first started traveling he kept calling me ugly and Dog Face instead of my name? He still does it sometimes to this very day."

"Sounds like him, alright," Sakuya said with a chuckle.

"By the way, where are the ingredients for this moss tea of yours?" Yuya asked and followed the miko's directions and watched as she carefully prepared the beverage.

The end result was a bubbling dark green brew that made Yuya feel that drinking it would mean taking her life in her own hands but she tamped down her reservations and was pleasantly surprised by the vibrant flavor of the tea.

"This is really good. I thought it was questionable but…," she paused, realizing that she was being rude by speaking so bluntly but Sakuya just kept right on smiling.

"It's alright. Kyoshiro always told me that my tea was the best and Kyo would just mutter, 'you should just stick to preparing tea'," she put on a scowl and said Kyo's part with a pale imitation of his growling tone of voice and both Yuya and Ruru laughed at her impression.

"I could never tell if they were complimenting me or making fun of me," her smile turned wry and Yuya imagined that Kyoshiro was earnest while Kyo simply teased her just because he could.

Her heart clenched a bit as she realized that Kyo had been childishly expressing his interest in the other woman by teasing her but she set it aside. Sakuya was every bit as good and sweet as Kyoshiro had said she was and she couldn't mistake the way her dark eyes lit up whenever she spoke about her friend. The former assassin's feelings were obviously reciprocated and she knew the two of them were kindred spirits.

The two of them chatted a bit over tea and Yuya regaled her with tales of her journey with Kyo. Sakuya asked how he had proposed to her and she blushingly stumbled over the story of how she'd found out that she was adopted and how Kyo had, in so many words, offered to be her family from then on. That had prompted a whole other host of questions about Nozomu and they had exchanged stories about the man had been brother to both of them.

"I really missed him after he left but I'm happy you could be there for him. I hated the thought of him being alone but he couldn't take me with him when he left. The king would have noticed immediately if I went missing and it would have turned out very badly for him."

"It still ended in tragedy," Yuya replied somberly, "I still miss him to this day."

"As do I, but I'm glad he was free to be himself for a while. The two of us were rarely allowed to be together for fear that my loyalty to Nozomu Nii-San would override my duties as the king's seer."

A moment of silence fell as the two women reminisced on the man who had inadvertently brought them together and it remained until Ruru interrupted the two of them by snatching up the flimsy gown Yuya had brought with her.

"What's this?" she asked, unfurling the garment and staring at it in confusion. Yuya blushed and made to grab it but the child nimbly danced away.

"Everyone would be able to see your boobies in this," the girl stated baldly and the young woman stood up in response, determined to retrieve the gown from the little monster.

A brief chase ensued that ended when she caught the child and tickled her sides until she was forced to surrender the article. Grabbing the gown, Yuya carefully folded it and set it on her lap as she sat down again.

"So, what's it for anyways?" the girl insisted, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet now that she had their attention.

"It's a gift for my…my husband," she said and Ruru screwed her face up in confusion.

"That doesn't look like something a man would wear," she replied innocently and Sakuya let out a snort of laughter.

Yuya shot her a look and she clarified, "I'm sorry. I just had this mental image of Kyo wearing that."

"Ugh, don't give me that mental image," she replied, screwing her face up in disgust, "That would be creepy, although….I can think of one person who would wear this. It would still look freaky on him though and he's more likely to dare one of our friends to wear it as punishment."

To answer the questioning look Sakuya shot her, she explained Akari as best she could and to her surprise, the other woman clapped her hands together and said, "Oh, I know who that is. He was Number 13."

It was then Yuya's turn to listen in horrified fascination as the seer explained Hishigi's habit of replacing their names with numerical number and the way he had molded Akari into the person he was today.

"Like me, he was kept separate from the other shamans but they went in a different direction with him. He was Hishigi's favorite and he did whatever it took to make sure he would remain that way."

Sakuya shivered and said softly, "I always thought he was scary. Really good-looking but cold and hard at the same time."

If Yuya had not heard his confession back at the Hell gate or taken a shakujo to the stomach, she would have had a hard time imagining loud, opinionated Akari as the hard-bitten, amoral assistant of a man like Hishigi. However, so many things had happened and she only pitied him more. What must it have been like to be so starved for love and attention that he would do anything, _be_ anything, as long as he received acknowledgement?

Realizing that she had wandered into murky waters, Sakuya brought the conversation back to the transparent gown and said, "I'm sure Kyo will appreciate your gift. He was always such a flirt back in the day. Kyoshiro used to get on him when he went off to find a lady friend, which was a _lot_. That's why I knew he would be able to break the curse as soon as he met you again."

"Curse?" Yuya asked quizzically and the miko froze and put a hand to her mouth as if she could take the words back.

Ruru, bless her heart, had no sense of propriety and asked eagerly, "What curse? Did you do something to Ryu-Chan's papa?"

The urgent need to know every scandalous crumb of this new secret was written all over the child's face and a cornered look graced Sakuya's features. She started fiddling with her fingers again - a sure sign that she was nervous – and her eyes moved from side to side, looking for a way out.

After a long moment, she sighed and said, "I might have cursed him. Didn't Yukimura mention this to you when you saw him again?"

Her voice was hopeful and Yuya dashed those hopes with a firm, "He most certainly did not! Spill it. What did you do my husband?"

The bounty huntress was worried that it was something nefarious and apparently so did Sakuya because her voice was halting as she explained what she had done. She stumbled over the description of the curse and the way it kept Kyo from touching any woman except her. Her cheeks turned a bright red as she laid out the cure for the curse and the addendum of breaking the seal she had placed on his memories.

By the end of it, Yuya was cracking up and Sakuya was apologizing profusely for doing such a wicked thing as laying a curse on a dear friend in addition to robbing him of his memories.

"I'm so very, very sorry, Yuya-San. It was a spur of the moment thing that came to me right after I heard this strange voice when Fubuki asked me to confirm your pregnancy. Please tell me that I didn't hurt Kyo too badly."

The miko was actually getting teary eyed and Yuya took pity on her.

"Don't worry too much about that, Sakuya-San. The only thing it hurt was his pride and I think you spared the two of us a lot of heartache in the end. I have the rest of my life to make it up to him but you can apologize to him yourself when we see him next, if you want. Who knows, maybe you'll get your turn to do the same with Kyoshiro," she said with a wink and instead of smiling, as she'd hoped, the miko's expression turned sad.

"That would be nice, but I'm not sure that's going to happen, Yuya-San," she said quietly.

"Why not?" the other woman asked but her new friend's eyes were no longer on her and a shiver of fear worked its way down her spine. The sudden silence in the room was deafening and she glanced at Ruru who had ducked down behind the miko's chair to hide.

She was sitting with her back to the door but she knew without turning what, or rather, _who_ she would see standing there. Even without sensing his presence, there was only one person who could leave her with this unsettling feeling just by being in the same room as her. The power that radiated from him crawled across her skin and she felt sticky, soiled by virtue of occupying the same space as him.

"I heard laughter. Care to share the joke with me," the king said, his voice and tone as mild as always but she wasn't fooled. His displeasure called forth his power and she watched with a sinking stomach as a stack of papers on the adjacent table waved a little, lifted by an invisible current.

Standing slowly, she turned and took an immediate step back when she realized that he was yet again invading her personal space. Her behind fetched up against the table and she pressed herself against it as far as she could go to maintain some semblance of distance between the two of the them.

The king's comically thick glasses were in place once again but this was no laughing matter and they all knew it. He had made it clear that she was supposed to stay put in the room he had assigned to her and here she was, a few floors down and in the room of his most prized possession. A pissed off god was never a good thing.

Things got ever crazier when footsteps sounded behind the king and Yuya managed to drag her eyes away long enough to see who he had brought with him. She could feel them widening to unnatural proportions as she took in the man standing there with his hair gathered back in a ponytail – something that struck her as odd because it had been short the last time they were together. His piercing blue eyes met hers and the cold weight of his stare forced his name out from between her lips.

"Kyo….Kyoshiro?" she whispered in pained shock.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Thanks for reading. I'm sorry to those who wanted to see more of Hotaru's battle with Anthony but I can't cover every battle in-depth otherwise this story will never end and it'll take me even longer to get back to the romantic parts. -_- However, I'm happy that everyone finally levels up and I'm sorry, but the part in the manga where Anthony went through and stabbed everyone in the butt to unlock their latent powers was hilarious. XD

As always, please let me know your thoughts. It's truly a delight and an encouragement to hear from my readers. Thanks again.


	57. Catch and Release

**Thanks to:** **lmamc** (Yeah, the king is a real jerk. He'll get what's coming to him eventually, though.), **general zargon** (I think that Sakuya and Yuya are like sisters even though they aren't related by blood and it only makes sense that they would get along despite their different temperaments. Yuya is going to have plenty to say to Kyoshiro when she gets the chance.), **Yira** (Hotaru and Shinrei will be more like a family in the sequel. I'm really looking forward to writing how everyone will change after the end of this fic and once some years have passed. I agree on your assessment of the way Kamijyo-Sensei wrote Hotaru's personality. He wouldn't necessarily have noticed or understood his brother's way of taking care of him and Shinrei is just as bad because he has a hard time being honest about the soft spot he had for his little brother. Kyo is definitely going to have something to say about Sakuya's curse but she had good intentions. ^_^), **Azure** (Glad you enjoyed the character interactions. I'm trying to give Shinrei and his brother as much character growth now as I can because I am going to attempt to write a romance for each of them in the sequel. Sorry Hotaru's battle was so short but, in my defense, it was pretty short in the manga too and I really want to move this story along. I'm going to switch things around too, like when he fights Yuan.), **Itherion** (Thank you so much for sticking with this fic and taking the time to let me know that you are enjoying it. It means a lot to me.)

 **Author's Note:** Sorry for the long wait. Real life has been pretty hectic with the kids starting school, us having to evacuate for Hurricane Irma back in September, and having to rearrange a good chunk of the house. Lots of stuff going on but hopefully I'll be back to writing more regularly so I can get this fic finished.

Apologies for any typos, I'll have to go back and proofread this later but I just had to get this out as soon as possible. As usual, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty-One**

 **Catch and Release**

The king looked from her to Kyoshiro then back again and Yuya briefly wondered what it was he sought. However, his opinion on their relationship took second place behind her own feelings. Kyoshiro wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be back with Kyo and her children and far away from this place and the "god" who ran it.

The weight of the Crimson King's stare was heavy and the bounty huntress had to struggle to organize her thoughts lest she give away too much about their relationship. Although...perhaps it was too little too late. The more her head cleared after waking up from her near-death experience, the stranger it was that she was even here in Onmyouden castle and in the presence of the untouchable Crimson King himself.

She was only an insignificant human in comparison to the godlike Mibu and yet, she had been saved. Why? And by whom? The only answer that made sense was that Kyoshiro had done it but - if he cared about her - why did it look as if he had changed sides yet again?

No matter how much she searched his dark blue eyes, they gave nothing away and she shuddered at how cold they were. The Kyoshiro who stood before her was the one she had first met years ago, right after he killed Nozomu and almost killed her. His gaze was that of an assassin, not her friend and sometimes idiot brother.

"As always, your mind is quite active Yuya Shiina. However, perhaps you could do me the honor of answering a question or two," the king interrupted her train of thought with a dry tone and she gave a start.

"I'm sorry," she murmured automatically, dragging her gaze away from Kyoshiro and focusing on the king again.

"Apology noted," he responded before his eyes moved past her so he could address her companions.

"Ruru...," he called the girl's name and that strawberry-topped head cautiously popped out from behind Sakuya's chair.

Ruru's pink eyes were apprehensive although - Yuya noted with interest - not exactly fearful. As much as the king had terrified her, it was immediately clear to her that his relationship with the girl was different.

The girl's voice was uncharacteristically meek as she queried, "Yes, Sendai-Sama?"

"Leave us."

She didn't question him at all, as she would anyone else. Rather, she bobbed her head deferentially and favored him with a second obedient "Yes, Sendai-Sama" before scuttling across the room to the exit.

Silence descended once more while that brilliant red head tracked the girl's retreat and the king waited until the door clicked closed before turning his attention back to her. He reached up and adjusted his glasses and she caught a glance at his irises and shivered. She would never get used to seeing those eyes – every bit as red and piercing as Kyo's but lacking the love that made her heart pound in response.

True, her heart was beating quickly enough but it was out of fear. And the longer he stared at her - absorbing every new tidbit of information about her and using it to build a profile in his head about the woman who was Kyo's wife – the more her discomfort grew.

He was doing it on purpose - trying to cow her so that he could force her to go along with his flow - and her instinctual desire to defy a man she saw as a massive bully warred with her common sense. Unlike most bullies, he had more than enough power to back up any threats he might make – verbal or non-verbal.

However, giving him what he wanted wasn't an option either, so she decided to put him off as best she could by moving her gaze away from him from him and settling it on her friend.

"Why are you here Kyoshiro? Did you save me?" she asked as steadily as she could.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the edge of the king's mouth lift in an amused smile and flushed in response. He could read her like a book and knew that she was trying to buy herself time.

Kyoshiro glanced at the king before replying in even tones, "I owed a debt to you for helping me these past few years and felt it was time to repay it. However, our association has reached its inevitable conclusion and I am here to assume the role I was created for. More specifically, I must take my place as Sendai-Sama's successor and become the next Crimson King so that both a new world and era can be ushered in. It's what I was created for."

He said it so simply, as if he were talking about the weather instead of making it clear that he was betraying, not only her but, Kyo and the rest of their friends as well. Although she understood the words coming out of his mouth, she couldn't wrap her head around the idea that her dear friend was willing to go along with the king. The same man who had dangled Sakuya over his head for years while using him to do his dirty work.

How many times had Kyoshiro lamented his past and the blood that stained his hands? How many times had they shared their dreams with each other and she'd heard him state that his dearest wish was to rescue Sakuya from the clutches of the king?

What sane person would return to the sort of abuse Kyoshiro had endured?

"You can't be serious! Yuya blurted out, taking a step forward and wishing she had her gun because she was absolutely not above making threats to get the truth out of him.

Her friend would have normally flinched and started babbling and flailing his hands about in an attempt to ward off her ire, but this stranger did nothing. Instead, he merely stared at her with a face that was devoid of all emotion except one.

Pity.

He pitied her – either because she had truly believed that he was on her side and her friend or because she herself was too weak to do anything directly and both master and servant knew it. No matter his reasons, nothing could halt the soul-shattering rage and hurt that pierced her and robbed her of strength. That feeling of being trapped by hands that could crush her at any time came rushing back and she whirled around and stared at the table, taking deep breaths to calm herself down while her hands clenched and unclenched in impotent fury.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that he should have let her die so that she wouldn't have had to witness his betrayal, but she swallowed the words back. Best not to say things she didn't mean or give them ideas about what to do with her next. She couldn't do anything if she were dead and she loved her family and her life too much to jeopardize either by allowing her emotions to run her tongue at this moment.

Raising her eyes, she met Sakuya's gaze and something passed between the two of them. The shaman should have been upset as well but there was a resoluteness in those soulful eyes that gave her pause and had her frazzled emotions retreating to the background. There was something she was missing and as those brown eyes shifted beyond her shoulder, she followed them to the king.

As always, all things led back to the former Crimson King - the spider at the center of this twisted web, who ran things his way. The man who ruled with an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove of soft words and indirect threats. However, the more time she spent around him, the more she saw his gloves slipping off along with his genteel façade and she sensed that there was a lot more at work here than met the eye.

Yuya might have been a mere babe compared to him and the years he had on his side, but she was no fool and decided that a change in tact was in order.

Turning to face the king and Kyoshiro directly, she bobbed her head respectfully and said as steadily as she could, "I'm sorry for my outburst. That's not like me."

The king raised a single red brow and she knew he wasn't even remotely fooled by her abrupt change in attitude, but she was fine with that. She wasn't switching it up to trick him per se, it was merely to mitigate his anger because it was far safer for him to be amused by her than mad at her for disobeying him. He seemed to enjoy playing the benevolent god to hide his darker nature and she could work within that understanding.

"I can imagine that this is all a great shock to you. However, please do not resent Kyoshiro's choice to rejoin the Mibu clan. He knows that it was the wisest course for all involved. Take comfort in knowing that he was quite worried about you and did not leave your side while Hishigi attended to you with the aid of his disciple."

Yuya assumed that Hishigi's partner in bringing her back from the brink of death was Akari and controlled the automatic desire to inquire after the shaman's health. She was worried sick about her eccentric friend, but she couldn't afford to focus on his at this moment.

It took everything she had not to throw out more accusations as she looked over at Kyoshiro and murmured gently, "Thank you, Kyoshiro."

If he could suppress his emotions, then so could she and she might have imagined the flash of pain that flickered across his face as he replied politely, "It would have been wrong to leave you to die after all we've been through."

Kyoshiro talking about what was right or wrong when he had agreed to do the king's bidding was a joke. However, she ignored the hypocrisy of his words and simply nodded in response.

"Now that you two have said your peace, perhaps you can enlighten me as to why you are here?" the king asked in a pleasant tone that fooled no one.

"I _could_ say that I was planning to return after visiting Sakuya-San but…," she sighed and stared into those bespectacled eyes with genuine resignation, "that would be a lie. In truth, I'm not the sort of person who enjoys waiting to be rescued and when Ruru-Chan showed up at my room, I saw a chance to do something about my situation. Besides that, I really wanted to meet Sakuya-San. I've heard so much about her from both Kyo and Kyoshiro."

"I imagine you must have been quite curious about my seer," the king replied and Yuya did not miss the possessive way in which he spoke about the other woman.

"Of course. Besides that, I don't enjoy being alone and doubly so in a strange place. One moment I was with my family and close to death, the next I'm waking up and meeting the Crimson King himself. This is all still new to me."

Yuya didn't have to fake the vulnerability in her voice - it was all quite real - and her honestly earned her another long look from the king before he tilted his head to the side and asked softly, "Are you still afraid?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation although she lowered her gaze, embarrassed at the admission.

"Does Kyoshiro's presence here and the meaning of it heighten that fear.

"Yes."

"Do you know that Kyo suffered his greatest defeat at Kyoshiro's hands?"

"Yes."

"Do you still believe that Kyo will win against the two of us?"

She raised her eyes up and mustered up every ounce of boldness and faith in her body to answer with neither flinching nor hesitation.

"Yes."

She would not lie on that front, not even to save her own skin, and the smile he gave her was indulgent and false. The dark god was peeking out from behind his kind mask and it made her skin crawl.

"Sakuya," he addressed the seer although his eyes never left her, "Have you been able to divine the outcome of my meeting with Kyo, yet?"

"The future continues to be cloudy, Sendai-Sama," she replied mildly, her voice the very epitome of obedience.

The king made a little tsk-ing noise and tapped a finger against his cheek as he stared at her. A minute then a second one dragged on before he spoke again.

"What do you think Kyoshiro about this, Kyoshiro? My seer has never had trouble divining the future until these past few days and yet Kyo's wife does not hesitate to tell me what will come to pass despite being an ordinary human to all appearances."

Yuya tore her gaze away from the king and could have sworn that Kyoshiro's expression softened ever-so-slightly as his eyes met hers and he replied, "Yuya is stubborn and her faith in Kyo is like no one else's. I'm sure that she is able to stand tall even now because she believes from the bottom of her heart that Kyo will make his way here. He isn't the type to let go of what he considers to be his."

"I know that quite well," the king replied and her interest was piqued by the note of fondness in his voice.

He was so very hard to read. Even though he found the very idea of Kyo confronting him annoying, she didn't believe that he hated her husband either. His expression mellowed while she marveled at the complexity of this man and she jumped a bit when he reached out and cupped the side of her cheek.

His palm was warm, as was the smile he gave her, and she didn't dare to breathe or move as he said gently, "I think that I will keep you close, Yuya Shiina. I want to see what Kyo is capable of - what he'll do to get you back. And if you have chosen Kyo as your god, perhaps I shall test that faith of yours. One god versus another. Would you put your heart and your life on the line, hmm?"

Yuya barely had time to process the fact that he spoke of her husband as if he really _were_ some sort of deity before Sakuya let out a squeak of fear behind her. Although Yuya didn't understand his exact meaning, she knew that something bad was about to happen.

She automatically attempted to back up again but there was nowhere to go and she was helpless to do anything but obey as he grasped her hand and, with a firm tug, urged her to follow him to the door.

' _Kyo, please get here soon,'_ she prayed.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The need to move struck him quickly and urgently and Kyo straightened himself up immediately, sitting his cup of sake down on the table in the process with a hard _'clink'_.

He had been waiting while his friends took their turns having their latent powers unlocked via the sketchy process of Anthony inserting needles swiftly and ruthlessly into their butts. Usually, he would have been having a great time at their expense - especially when Shinrei's turn came up - but he was feeling restless, confined.

Next to his hand, Tenrou vibrated and he reached over and grasped the sword. His surroundings faded away as soon as his fingers touched the sheath and power arced between himself and the blade. The Thousand Killer half expected to see his old man and the gaggle of brats around him again but only darkness surrounded him.

No, that wasn't quite right. There were points of light and the closer he drifted, the more he recognized each as representing one of his friends. And every light had a rhythmic thump-thump the closer he drew. Heartbeats.

He took a deep breath and allowed his senses to expand, reaching out past those points of light at lightning speed and moving further away.

' _Look, boy. I'll keep watch here,'_ the voice echoed in his head. The First Crimson King.

Kyo did as requested because he could not shake the feeling of unease that came over him. As he sent his senses out, he rushed past two on their way to his location and paused, examining them and ascertaining that they were harmless before moving on. Hundreds of points of light danced in the darkness – soldiers, guards, and servants - and even larger gleams off in the distance denoted what felt like the Taishirou. After the Taishirou was yet another massive point of light and he knew that it could only be Kyoshiro. However, there was one glimmer after him that caught and held his attention.

Larger than all the rest combined, he rushed towards it and it only grew the closer he got. Brilliant and blinding like the sun, he knew that this was the king. However, while it was nice to know that his abilities were growing and that - with Tenrou's help - he could look further than ever before, he didn't understand why he needed to see this now.

As he hovered around the king, he realized that there was something missing and in the next moment he knew exactly what it was. Unlike every other point of light, there was no heartbeat, almost like the king himself wasn't a living thing.

' _What in the world?'_ he thought to himself and he almost exited his trance from the shock of his discovery but a wolf howl sounded in the distance and he caught himself.

' _Look harder, brat,'_ his sire ordered and he debated the wisdom of drifting closer lest the king catch on to him then decided to do it anyways.

The First King didn't strike him as the type of person who did things without reason – asinine jokes aside – and so he focused, straining his senses until he heard it. There _was_ a heartbeat there, but it didn't emanate from the king. Rather, it was very fast and a little faint – the sign of someone in distress - and it was only by concentrating that he picked out the tiny point of light that hovered next to the king.

It was such a small and insignificant ki - totally eclipsed by the king's presence - but he knew it intimately along with the sound of that heartbeat and his body went cold.

' _Yuya!'_

His breath caught in his throat and he strained to get closer, trying to get some inkling of what was upsetting her so, but his time was up. He knew the moment the king sensed his presence and so did Tenrou. In the next instant, he was back in Yuan's house amongst his friends and on his feet with his blade in hand.

All activity stopped as everyone turned to stare at him and he wasted no time as he said, "We're going to have visitors in a second. Then it's time to go."

His companions exchanged puzzled glances but took his words in stride and Angelica stood up to retrieve their freshly laundered garments so that they could change. He shrugged his kimono on and motioned to the twins who hurried over to stand before him.

Looking at the matching set of red irises that stared back at him, he was struck yet again by the amount of trust on display here. He wanted to keep them close, to make sure with his own two hands that his children would maintain their innocence for as long as possible. It was abnormal for him to feel desperation, but it hovered there in the background while he tried to formulate what he needed to say. He was strong, yes, but defeating everyone who stood between him and the king would take every ounce of ability he had. There was no way he would be able to keep an eye on Aiko and Ryu at the same time.

Logically he understood that he needed to leave them behind but…

Reaching out, he rested a hand on each of their tiny heads and simply stared at them, wishing he was as eloquent about expressing himself as his wife. He was born to kill and didn't have her gift for being gentle and tactful.

' _Yuya.'_

He was hardly a devout man, but her name was like a prayer to him – the word that gave him strength and kept the darkness at bay. And he whispered it again in his head to remind himself that she needed him more at this moment.

Glancing over at Anna, she nodded in encouragement for him to continue explaining his intentions to the kids. While Anthony pleaded with Hotaru to save Yuan after their battle, he had briefly mentioned Shihoudou's suggestion about leaving his children in her care and she agreed to do it without missing a beat. She and her siblings were a strong group – powerful enough to qualify as Yuan's personal guard. And despite her singleness, she was as motherly a woman as he'd ever known with the way she ran herd over her family members.

Despite their short acquaintance, he had a feeling that she would do whatever it took to make sure the twins were safe. She herself had even mentioned getting the twins as far away from the Mibu lands as possible if things took a turn for the worse. He took a small measure of comfort in knowing that - unlike most other people in the clan - she and her family did not fear the outside world. In fact, their oldest brother lived amongst humans with a human wife and a gaggle of children.

"Where did you go, Tou-Chan?" the softly spoken query brought his attention back to the twins and he stared at Aiko in confusion.

"What do you mean, short stuff?"

"You went away a second ago and then you got upset," she replied.

Kyo didn't bother to question how she knew that. Like the other times, he chalked her odd perceptiveness about the situation up to her abilities and instead answered simply, "I was looking for your mother."

"Did you find her?" it was Ryu's turn to ask the questions and he nodded, warmed by the clear concern on the boy's face for his mother.

"I'm going after her. Think you can watch over your sister here, brat?" he asked, deciding to just put it out there because he beating around the bush would only waste more time. Even now, he was itching to move forward because every moment spent here was one that he wasn't using to close the gap between himself and Yuya.

Perhaps it was selfish of him to want to run after his wife while leaving his children in the care of people who were barely above the level of strangers but that was the way things were between them and his options were limited. If Hotaru - who was suspicious of pretty much everyone - liked these people, he would trust his judgement. And as much as he liked Aiko and Ryu - he could easily fall in love with them, even - Yuya was his heart. He just couldn't stand still when he knew she was in the clutches of the king himself.

In truth, he fully expected to have to argue with the twins about moving forward without them, but Ryu simply looked at him with eyes that were just a little too old for his years and reached out to catch his sister's hand.

"Please bring her back, Tou-San," he said quietly.

Aiko nodded along with his words with abnormal seriousness although her lips quivered just a bit and the knuckles of their joined hands were whitening form how tightly they gripped each other. He had assumed that they weren't paying attention when Shihoudou mentioned leaving them behind for their own good, but it was clear that wasn't the case. Yuya had told him in passing during their journey to Mibu territory that kids tended to miss very little and he saw the evidence in front of him. It was bittersweet, the moment he realized that his children were already starting to mature to keep up with him and his companions.

Slowly, he caressed those soft heads - black like his and blonde like Yuya's - and allowed himself to smile a little as he said, "You're good kids. I'll be back when this all blows over."

"Of course," Aiko said, absolute faith shining bright in her eyes, "Because you're the strongest."

There was something about having his daughter saying those words that forced him to swallow a lump in his throat before he nodded and replied cockily, "You know it, short stuff. Same goes for you, brat."

Fangs peeked back at him as Ryu grinned in return and he made himself remove his hands and step back so that he could face the front door.

"Company's here," he said and a knock sounded as if to punctuate his statement.

The people in the room all exchanged looks before Anthony shrugged and sauntered over to open the door to admit these new guests.

The moment it swung open, Yukimura let out a whistle before a brilliant smile lit up his face and he said, "Well, well look who's all grown up. Good to see you again Sasuke-Kun!"

"Taihaku Ji-San!" the twins exclaimed in excited unison before rushing over to greet the large man who filled the doorway behind Sasuke. The teenager looked somewhere between relieved and annoyed to see Yukimura.

"I had a feeling you'd turn up here at some point, Yukimura," he grumbled as his neglectful master rushed over to greet him.

"And I knew you'd grow up to be a looker, Sasuke-Kun. Bet you've been making the ladies swoon while I was gone," the nobleman said with a laugh as he waggled his brows suggestively and reached up to ruffle his silver hair.

However, Sasuke blocked the move with his wrist and a snort of annoyance as he stepped forward and said, "Unlike you, I don't go chasing after everything with a set of boobs. I have higher standards."

Those cat-like golden eyes scanned the room briefly but thoroughly before settling on Kyo with an expression that was directly challenging as he asked, "Where's Nee-Chan? Don't tell me you lost her again."

The Thousand Killer didn't care for his tone of voice but he was man enough to own up to what had happened and replied, "A lot of crap when down while you two were looking for the old man. She was taken in the process."

Sasuke's expression hardened and Kyo hoped the boy wasn't stupid enough to actually act on his childish crush on his wife. Today wasn't the day and he wasn't the one. Friend or no, he wouldn't go easy on anyone who slowed him down at this point.

Sasuke's rescue came in the form of Benitora who said in conciliatory tones, "It was totally unexpected, Sasuke-Kun. Hishigi was there and he did something to Akari-Han to change him. Then Kyoshiro turned on us too and Kyo was busy fighting Nozomu-Han."

"Nozomu?" those sharp golden eyes turned to look at the Shogun's son and he asked, "As in Nee-Chan's dead brother?"

"Yeah," the other man rubbed the back of his neck in confusion and replied, "we're still trying to work that one out as well. Just…cut Kyo some slack. Things really went south after you two left."

Sasuke brought his attention back to Kyo and the Thousand Killer merely returned his accusatory stare with a look that said, "I'll break you if you get in my way." As always, it was obvious that the brat felt he didn't deserve Yuya but he let it roll off his back. No one knew better than he himself that she was too good for him. But that didn't mean he would ever let her go and certainly not on some young pup's say so.

"We found Muramasa-Sama," Taihaku's deep voice broke through the tension and the two males aborted their staring match to look at him.

"So, the old man is still alive," Kyo mused, "How's he looking?"

"He's doing much better than expected. Whatever Hishigi and the rest did to him, he looks healthy enough. Certainly not as bad off as most people I know who are inflicted with the Death Disease."

"That's good. Where is he? And why are you here?"

"He sent us to look for his master - Julian. According to him, this is his current home," he gestured to their surroundings.

"Our father hasn't been back here in years," Angelica said, crossing her arms over her chest with a heavy sigh.

"He went to find out more about how and why our mother was murdered," Anna said with a sad expression on her face.

"That's unfortunate," the giant replied with a sympathetic look, "I don't suppose you have an approximate idea of where he is now, do you?"

"You'd probably find him by heading closer to the center of Onmyouden Castle. He's been digging tunnels for a while to get around the king's guards. Are you in a rush?" this came from Anthony.

"A little. We needed his help to break Muramasa out of prison. There is a very strong barrier around his cell that's beyond the capabilities anyone below the Hishigi or the king to break."

Kyo listened intently to the conversation and Tenrou grew warm in his hand. He didn't need words to know knew exactly what his sword was suggesting. The dungeons weren't particularly far from their current position and he wouldn't lose much in the way of time by going himself. Muramasa knew Onmyouden castle well and would be an immense boon in his quest to get Yuya back and there was no one better suited than himself to break him out.

However, there were other things to consider. Akira was determined to get Bontenmaru back from Tokito's clutches and his territory lay in a completely different direction. At this moment, his first and only pupil had withdrawn to the background and he could see anger writ large upon his face.

According to Anthony, he had already reached his limits and would be unable to progress any further. Kyo knew him well enough to know how crushing a blow that had been. No one worked harder to earn their strength than Akira and it was a cruel twist of fate that put a wall in his way at this very point, when he needed power more than ever.

He could feel a pair of eyes on him and he turned to meet Anthony's gaze. The other man glanced from him to Akira and sighed in resignation, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"It might not be the end of the road for you, Akira," the blond man said after a long moment and Akira jerked in response, hope warring with disbelief on his normally calm face.

"What do you mean? According to you, as a commoner, I've already reached the limits of my abilities. I have no _noble bloodline_ ," he spat the words out as if they were poison, "to carry me like everyone else. What else is there for me?"

Anthony took another deep breath and said slowly, "My father would kill me for telling you this but…in theory, you can break through the wall holding you back. However, it requires you to put your life on the line. Your body would have to take enough damage all at once that it either causes you to adapt and strengthen immediately to survive or it kills you."

"So, I just need to let myself get beat up?" Akira asked doubtfully.

"That's one way. The other way would be to force a shock to your system of that magnitude. You can control ice which takes an intimate knowledge of how that element works on both your body and others. I'm sure you can figure something out if you try. Just go into it with the understanding that even if you make it work, you'll still probably die afterwards."

The longer Akira listened the harder his face became and Kyo knew that Anthony's warnings were going in one ear and out the other. When the younger man made up his mind about something, it was impossible to dissuade him, especially if it involved getting stronger.

It was like new life had been breathed into the blonde man as he replied firmly, "Then we needn't tarry here any long. Kyo, do what you need to do for both yours and Yuya-San's sake. Please leave Bontenmaru and Tokito to me."

Kyo smirked and replied, "Sure. Don't come back unless you have something to show for it."

To outsiders it would have sounded cold but Akira smiled in response – he knew Kyo trusted him to accomplish anything he set his mind to and, to him, those words were proof that his master acknowledged his abilities.

"I'll see you at the castle, Kyo," he said.

"Don't drag your feet, Akira," was his response.

"Hey, I'll come along to back you up. Gotta' clear a way for the Ice Prince," Benitora said with a grin.

"As if I need a weakling like you to slow me down," Akira replied rudely, although his voice lacked heat.

"Perhaps I can be on assistance too?" this came from Shinrei, surprisingly, who stepped forward.

"Stop hogging everything for your yourself, stupid," Hotaru stepped up as well.

"It's not like I need a caravan to come with me," Akira replied with annoyance.

"You want to save your comrade, that is a very noble cause and you'll want people to back you up to move past Tokito's guards," the water-user said.

"This looks like more fun than breaking Muramasa out. And Tokito is a jackass," Hotaru said with a shrug and the quintuplets snorted with laughter.

"Looks settled to me," Kyo said, "Besides, splitting up makes it easier for us to get around without being caught."

Akira frowned but didn't contradict him and the group started to divvy up their members with Shinrei, Hotaru, and Benitora going with Akira as back up. Kyo got Yukimura and Sasuke. Taihaku determined that he would be more hindrance than help at his power level and decided that he could help more by heading back to the village at the bottom of the mountain. Although it was hard to acknowledge, he knew he had prepare the lower caste clan members for what looked to be a civil war and he took comfort in knowing that it would be easier to rally people if they knew that Muramasa was alive, well, and within the confines of the clan once more.

Kyo bid his children farewell and waited with minimal irritation while Shinrei did the same. Ever so slowly, he was coming to terms with the fact that the twins had thoroughly charmed the rigid man as well. He even managed to keep his resentment in check when the silver-haired man offered Aiko a heartfelt apology for his harsh words back in the labyrinth and his daughter favored him with a nod of acceptance and a hug to his leg while thanking him profusely and fussing at him to be careful.

He grumbled internally for a moment, but all was forgiven when she tore herself away from the other man and motioned for her father to bend down. He indulged her and was pleasantly surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him so tightly that he could feel her tiny body strain with effort.

"Come back, Tou-Chan. _Please_ ," she whispered in his ear and then he felt the soft press of her lips against his cheek and his neck grew warm.

The Thousand Killer wasn't expecting such an emotional display and he awkwardly reached up to pat her on the back and allowed her to hold on for a little bit longer.

"Be good, short stuff," he murmured, pulling away when he couldn't endure the sappiness of the moment any longer.

She reluctantly let him go and Ryu took her place and offered him a bow of respect the had him rolling his eyes. That uptightness definitely came from being raised by Shinrei and he determined that he would start undermining that as soon as he got back.

"Behave, brat, but not _too_ much. You're still my kid, after all," he said and offered the boy a wink that made him chuckle in response.

Then they were off yet again, each group with clear goals and destinations this time.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So glad to be back. Hope you all enjoyed this. More action coming up next and before you ask, yes, Hotaru will eventually fight Yuan. And yes, the king is going to link Yuya's heart to his, although his reasons for it are different this time. It was a plot point that was too good to pass up for this fic.

Thanks for reading and being patient with me and please let me know what you think.


	58. Little Sadists and Hidden Natures

**Thanks to: Azure** (No kidding. I plan to have romance for each brother since no one ever bothers outside of writing fetish-y incest fics between the two of them. Shinrei's future love interest should be obvious by now but I'm thinking of one of Yuan's sisters for Hotaru. The sequel will take place some years later. Glad you like the chapter and I hope you like this one as well.), **general zargon** (Nice to know I didn't make too many mistakes J and I'm super excited to get this story moving forward. I don't want to drag this out any longer by trying to make everything match the events in the Manga. Unfortunately, it is a trap I'm constantly in danger of falling into.), **lmamc** (Glad you enjoyed the chapter and I'm happy to be back.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty-Two**

 **Little Sadists and Hidden Natures**

What a strange man he was.

Tokito stared at her battered captive and tried to figure out why she hadn't killed him yet.

It would have been easy enough. In fact, she'd had to hold back a few times in her interrogation of Bontenmaru, the so-called "One-Eyed Dragon". Unfortunately, he was no longer conscious and therefore unable to answer any more of her questions.

Then again…it was probably for the best that he couldn't speak at the moment. The past couple hours had shown that he was one of the most infuriating individuals she'd ever met. The giant man had a big mouth to go along with his ridiculous size and her temper had gotten the best of her.

She flexed her fingers and sucked her teeth in annoyance at the sticky feel of his blood upon them. Looking down, she frowned at the flecks of red that had spattered on her top and grumbled internally at having to wash a garment she had just changed into a few hours ago.

 _'_ _Little brat.'_

His taunting voice came back to haunt her and she controlled the urge to kick the body lying prone at her feet.

 ***Begin Flashback***

 _"_ _I have a gift for you Tokito-Sama," Spade said in that monotonous voice she knew so well as he kneeled before her chair, if it could be called that. Her seat of choice resembled a throne more than anything else._

 _After her terrifying "talk" with Fubuki about her mother, there was a brief meeting with the King where he put all of them on notice about the impending arrival of Kyo and company and revealed, in a shocking twist, that Kyoshiro would be receiving the kingship. Following that revelation, she had found herself back on her own turf and in a foul mood._

 _She was unused to doubting the man she had practically worshiped for years and knowing that he was willing to hide things about a subject she felt was her right to know just didn't sit well with her. But, there was nothing she could do at the moment. Visiting Muramasa again was likely to be bad for her health and she had a job to do now that the Demon Child was knocking on the doors to the castle._

 _All of the stress of the past few days left her with little patience for the way her servant was leading up to the presentation of whatever it was he'd brought. Her tone was laden with weary irritation as she waved her hand dismissively and said, "Just get on with it already, Spade."_

 _"_ _As you wish," her guardsman said calmly as he flipped his cloak off and laid it flat on the floor._

 _Having seen his magic tricks any number of times, she was long past the time when she found his little flourishes amusing and therefore only paid half a mind when he whipped the fabric away to show her what he'd brought._

 _Thus, she almost fell out of her chair when out of the cloak tumbled a giant of a man. And not just any old warrior either. This…this was one of Kyo's very own friends. A member of the infamous Four Emperors - Date Masamune aka Bontenmaru the One-Eyed Dragon._

 _And he didn't come quietly either. She scooted her foot back to avoid him as he immediately rose to his full, towering height and swung his body around, single eye moving swiftly over his surroundings and meaty fists at the ready._

 _"_ _Stinkin' magic man! Get over here so I can show you what happens to people who wanna' mess with Bontenmaru-Sama!"_

 _The man radiated killing intent, but Spade didn't even blink as he rose with his cloak in hand and shook it out, as if to rid it of any dirt his captive might have left behind, before reattaching it to his shoulders._

 _"_ _I hope you are pleased by my gift, Tokito-Sama," he said with a respectful bow._

 _"_ _Don't ignore me you…," Bontenmaru cut himself off and swung around to scrutinize her more closely._

 _"_ _Wait a sec, Tokito-Sama?_ _ **The**_ _Tokito-Sama, of the Four Elders?" he asked incredulously._

 _She was oddly pleased that he had both heard of her_ _ **and**_ _knew of her status as one of the leaders within the Mibu clan. However, her enjoyment was short-lived when he folded his arms over his muscular chest and burst out laughing._

 _Narrowing her eyes at him, she toyed with the hilt of her sword - which was propped against her chair – and asked in a low tone, "And what do you find so amusing, Bontenmaru of the Shiseiten?"_

 _Anyone who knew her would have immediately sobered up about the danger they were in, but this big oaf only swiped at his eye and replied heartily, "Sorry, sorry. It's just…I heard you were a total sadist, but I didn't expect to see such a pretty, baby-faced pipsqueak. Are you sure you're even a_ _ **man**_ _?"_

 _With every uncouth word that came out of his mouth, her temper only escalated higher and her cup of patience ran dry completely when he questioned her "manhood". After spending years ruthlessly stomping out all traces of her own femininity and carving out a place for herself in the clan, this great, big, overbearingly masculine idiot of a man had the audacity to cast doubt on her carefully crafted persona and she would not –_ _ **could not**_ _\- tolerate it._

 _Her mind went blank and she was on her feet before she knew it. Bontenmaru's laughter was choked off with a grunt of pain as her fist connected with his side and she felt his ribs bow beneath the impact. They didn't break however, and she was mildly impressed that he could withstand a hit that would have seriously wounded a normal human. That said, she wasn't using her full power either._

 _The giant recovered with admirable speed and she nimbly stepped back as he swung a fist her way. It was powerful but too slow and she made sure to wait until the very last second to dodge, silently taunting him with the gap in their abilities. She was stronger than him by a mile, but it wouldn't do to end the inevitable confrontation too quickly - not when she was in such desperate need of stress-relief._

 _Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spade's hand reaching into the confines of his cloak and shot him a look full of reproach as she said, "Stay out of this, Spade. I'm looking forward to having a little "chat" with my guest."_

 _Her guard's expression didn't change. He simply responded with a formal bow and faded back into the gloom that congregated in the corners of her room._

 _"_ _Are you sure you don't want a little back-up, shorty?" Bontenmaru teased her with a grin._

 _"_ _For filth like you? Hardly," she replied with a delicate shrug as she flicked imaginary dirt from her front._

 _"_ _Seriously, you're too much like a girl," he mused - more to himself than to her - before his expression turned serious and he folded his arms once more as he sized her up._

 _"_ _Girly boy or not, I have a beef with you especially."_

 _"_ _Oh?" she cocked a brow at him, wondering what he could possibly be talking about. The two of them had never met before and he was beneath her in every way save through his association with Kyo._

 _"_ _Yeah. Is it true that you're the jerk who kidnapped Muramasa and little Ai-Chan and then burned his house down?"_

 _Since she couldn't be bothered the know the names of all of Kyo's half-breed children, it took her a moment to understand that "Ai-Chan" was the blonde brat with the freaky powers, who Shinrei had opted to babysit. And when she made the connection, she couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice as she replied, "Yes. And? Did you come here in hopes of making me repent?"_

 _He said nothing and she smirked as she continued in saccharine tones, "If you want an apology, how about this. I'm_ _ **so**_ _sorry…"_

 _She paused for effect before continuing, "…that I didn't kill Muramasa when I had the chance."_

 _"_ _And I'm_ _ **so**_ _sorry that Kyo's brat gets to stick around long enough to see her daddy die at the hands of the Taishirou. I guess I can empathize with the_ _ **poor**_ _little thing. We both have such failures for a father. Maybe I'll send her to join him after it's all said and done…if she isn't dead already."_

 _Bontenmaru's face took on an even stonier cast and she started laughing in response. He was_ _ **so**_ _serious - as if a weakling like him actually stood a chance against her - and she laughed even harder at the absurd thought._

 _Her mirth continued until he said with deadly gentleness, "Only a coward thinks they're hot stuff for beating up on a sick man and a little girl. If Muramasa wasn't ill, there is no way in the world you'd be standing here, strutting around like you actually accomplished something. A little brat like you without the balls to step to someone who can fight back properly isn't fit to lick his toes!"_

 _That shut her right up and her hands curled into fists as her ki began to rise._

 _"_ _Don't you dare put that man on a pedestal," she hissed from between clenched teeth._

 _"_ _He's a better man than you'll ever be," Bontenmaru shot back, his ki rising as well._

 _She wasn't a man at all, but the insult still stung and she replied, "I don't give a crap what you think about my father. He's scum and deserves everything that's coming to him and more."_

 _"_ _Who the heck is talking about your father? I'm talking about Muramasa," he replied irritably._

 _"_ _Muramasa_ _ **IS**_ _my father you dolt!"_

 _"_ _Bull!" Bontenmaru said without missing a beat and she was taken aback._

 _"_ _It's the truth. He left me behind when he was chasing his oh-so-precious Demon Child."_

 _"_ _And I still call bull! Muramasa might be a mystery sometimes but he ain't the type to abandon anyone he cares about."_

 _'_ _But he abandoned_ _ **me**_ _!' Tokito wanted to scream._

 _But she kept that to herself because to utter those words would have made her sound pathetic and vulnerable – as if she actually_ _ **could**_ _be hurt by anything her father did. Between Fubuki's secrets and Muramasa's calm denials and willingness to give her more info about her parentage in a few hours than her idol had in their entire aquaintance - she wasn't sure what to think anymore and Bontenmaru wasn't helping things._

 ** _'_** ** _Why does everyone love that horrible man so much?!'_** _she growled mentally before shaking her head to clear it._

 _It wasn't good for her sanity to start doubting either herself or her beliefs right now and so she turned her anger back towards Bontenmaru._

 _Taking a deep breath, she smoothed out her expression and kept her voice cool as she said, "You know, I heard you were a loud-mouthed moron, but the stories didn't do you justice. Shame on me, I guess, for entertaining the idea that you had some sort of concept of self-preservation."_

 _For the first time since Spade had shaken him out of his cloak, wariness entered that single eye and it pleased her. She could deal with apprehension. More to the point, she reveled in it and looked forward to seeing if she could twist it into genuine fear._

 _To all outward appearances she was calm, but inside she was seething with fury and she welcomed its familiar warmth. The young woman needed her rage to function properly in battle - it was the touchstone she used to focus and raise her ki._

 _Bontenmaru shifted in response to the change in atmosphere and she smiled as his fists came up in preparation. At last, he was starting to understand the seriousness of his situation and she chuckled when his gaze flicked over towards the sword resting next to her chair. Tokito didn't_ _ **need**_ _her weapon to teach him a lesson and she playfully mimicked his fighting stance and drew her tongue across her lips - wetting them in anticipation of what was to come._

 _So, he'd heard that she was sadist? Perhaps it was time to show him just how apt that description was._

 ***End Flashback***

He lasted longer than she had expected and forced her to use about eighty percent of her real power to avoid taking damage while holding out on giving her information with admirable endurance. The man could take a beating, that was for sure and she had a few aches and pains where he managed to land glancing blows. He might have been too slow to keep up with her but she knew that if any of his attacks had connected fully, she would have been in a world of hurt.

Alas, he passed out before she could break him fully, but she took pleasure in knowing that he had sustained enough damage to kill a normal human ten times over. He wouldn't be fighting anyone in the near future without receiving aid and she debated whether or not she should have him healed just enough to answer a few questions.

Bontenmaru hadn't been willing to give up any info on Kyo's movements but he started saying the craziest things towards the end and she wasn't sure if it was out of desperation or delirium. From what she could tell, the giant had some sort of friendship with her father and no matter what she said to disparage her sire, he kept refuting her. Even when he was choking on his own blood, he still maintained that Muramasa was too kind a person to abandon his own child and that it couldn't possibly be true.

 _"_ _There is no other explanation," she said with more emotion than was wise, punching him in the ribs yet again and breaking another one now that she wasn't holding back._

 _The pity in his eyes made her belly turn and he wasn't even fighting back at this point now that she had him on the floor and both his arms and a leg were broken. He was so huge that she had to straddle his waist to continue their one-sided fight._

 _"_ _Then someone's been lying to you, pipsqueak," he said, the words coming out on a moist wheeze._

He passed out shortly thereafter and she had thrust herself away from him in frustration once it was clear that he wouldn't be speaking for a while. Now, she could only stare at him and wonder what to do next. Of their own volition, her legs began to move and she found herself pacing around the fallen warrior and turning his words over in her head.

She had already confirmed for herself that Fubuki wasn't being entirely truthful, but it rankled nonetheless that this lowlife outsider had reached the same conclusion. Her breath escaped her in little frustrated pants as she circled her captive and she only broke eye contact with his body when Spade's voice floated out from the darkness.

"Tokito-Sama," she paused and turned towards her servant in acknowledgment.

"You have more guests. Heart, Club, and Diamond are on course to intercept as well as your personal army. It appears to be Shinrei and Keikoku along with two other men who are a part of Demon Eyes Kyo's entourage."

"Two other men?" she asked.

"Yes. A young man with a bandana on his head and the blind young man with two swords."

"Hmph," she quickly put names to the descriptions and knew it was Akira of the Four Emperors and that other man who was heir to the Shogunate – Hidetada Tokugawa - who went by the name Benitora and ranked as one of the weakest fighters. Spade had already briefed her on his initial encounter with the group, but she had assumed that her guards had handled it.

Clearly that wasn't the case and her other lackeys couldn't be bothered to impart that tidbit of info to her.

"Useless idiots," she muttered as she stalked over to her chair and sat down.

Reaching into the folds of her clothes, she brought out her cards and started shuffling them, allowing the rhythmic sound of them flipping and fanning between her nimble fingers to soothe her.

The temptation to hunt down and kill her servants to teach them a lesson about failure was strong. But her curiosity about these fools who, to all appearances, were coming to see her was stronger.

Spade watched her as she manipulated the cards and brought her gaze once more to Bontenmaru.

"Send my soldiers to welcome my guests and follow them up with my personal guard should they fail. If they make it past them, I'll deal with them myself."

"As you wish. And what about this man?" the un-official captain of her guard gestured towards Bontenmaru.

Tokito flipped her cards from one hand to the other for another second before coming to a decision.

"I don't want him dead just yet. Patch him up for now so I can question him later."

Although his expression remained deadpan, she immediately knew that he didn't think that was a wise decision. It had become clear in the middle of her fight with Bontenmaru that he would lay down his life before doing anything to betray his friends. Keeping him alive was unlikely to yield results in their quest to rid the world of Kyo and people like him.

But - as she stared at his battered features - she decided that she didn't want him dead. Not yet, anyways. Not when he knew more about the Muramasa that she didn't know and, more importantly, was willing to talk about it.

If she hadn't had that tense discussion with Fubuki, she probably wouldn't have cared in the slightest what Bontenmaru knew about her sire. She would have simply tortured then killed him and been done with it under normal circumstances. However, since she couldn't get straight answers from the man she trusted most, she would have to use other means to obtain the knowledge she sought.

With that in mind, she didn't bother to acknowledge Spade's doubts and dismissed him with a haughty, "Well, get to it. "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why so quiet, kid? Plotting how you're going to avenge my woman's honor?" Kyo asked once they were a good ways into their trip to Muramasa's cell and in reduced danger of discovery by patrolling guards.

Apparently, no one expected Muramasa to be broken out of jail which spoke volumes about the seal the king and Hishigi had placed around his cell. No point in wasting manpower on a man who needed either the king or a member of the Taishirou to spring him.

Honestly, he wasn't expecting a response to his question, he just wanted to break the intense glare he felt on his person from those golden eyes. Having someone, especially another warrior, staring so intently at his back made him antsy no matter how much history the two of them had together.

At the beginning of their excursion Yukimura had jabbered on, completely undeterred by Sasuke's monosyllabic responses to his questions about how he'd been in his absence and how the rest of the Sanada Ten fared. The nobleman took it all in good stride and eventually lapsed into silence once he'd confirmed that "Yes, Sasuke was significantly stronger" and "No, he didn't have a girlfriend to spend his nights with yet." The later caused his master to sigh and Kyo imagined he was wondering where he'd gone wrong in the boy's education. The old Kyo would have found it all very amusing but, currently, it just annoyed him.

He'd been down that road before - sleeping around with one woman after another. It was fun for a while but, looking back on it, he'd been beyond lonely and looking for something that didn't exist amongst prostitutes and ladies who just wanted to live dangerously. Although he felt a man should be experienced with sex, he couldn't be like Yukimura anymore - so carefree about who he screwed around with. In fact, if he cared to admit it, he would have said that Yukimura was doing the kid a disservice by trying to push him in that direction.

His past self would have laughed at the ludicrous idea of him stalking the halls of Onmyouden castle for the sake of a single woman. And back in the day, sheer stubborn pride would have had him doing the exact opposite, just so he could claim he didn't need anyone - that no one ran his life but him. However, that was before he understood what it meant to want someone so much that you wished for nothing more than to breathe the same air as them for all eternity.

Now, it was Yuya he wanted. Yuya he longed for.

To him, heaven was feeling her touch and kissing her lips or listening to her sigh pleasurably in the dead of night when the two of them were at their closest. Kyo ached for those interludes of moist heat and breathy moans followed by warm embraces and conversation.

He hated the thought that another man could put his hands on her - whether that man was Akari, Kyoshiro, the king, or anyone else in the past, present, and future. The very idea that the monster who ruled this miserable place had now taken an interest in her was enough to make his stomach sink.

While he waited for Sasuke to respond to his question, he pictured Yuya in his mind. What was happening to her now? Was she suffering? Did she now regret her decision to love and follow him?

He knew that last question was nonsensical – his wife was strong and so dedicated to him that she was completely oblivious to how much she was loved by the men in their group. Still, a part of him wondered if it would have been better for him to push her away. She'd already suffered so much because of him. Away from the distraction of his children, he saw that last image of her again - limp and bleeding out in Kyoshiro's arms.

If not for him, she wouldn't constantly be in danger and would not have been forced to cheat death, not once but **twice** now. Truly, she _would_ be better off without him. And yet, he could not stop the black thoughts that arose when he considered setting her free.

Things like seeing her dead rather than on her own to choose someone else.

Some people would have liked to spout insincere, romantic drivel about loving someone enough to let them go but he wasn't that sort of person. He was selfish and possessive and if he could not have her - could not bask in her light and her love - then no one could.

Tenrou warmed in his hand, a warning about the direction of his thoughts. If he tipped the scales too much in favor of the darkness it would claim him - just like the First King had cautioned.

He was so engrossed with his ever-shifting thoughts that he almost missed Sasuke's softly muttered words when they finally came.

"I was created by the Mibu clan."

Kyo's steps slowed for half a second before he recovered and said, "Why am I not surprised? Is that why you keep staring at me, brat? Worried that I'll think less of you?"

"Get over yourself, Kyo," came Sasuke's smart reply, "I'm just trying to figure out the differences between the two of us. Muramasa said I had to have come out of something called the Mibu Reconstruction Project."

It wasn't a shock to hear it from the boy's mouth. Like him, Sasuke had originated from Aokigahara. And if the old hag back in the Labyrinth were to be believed, that was where the Mibu sent all of the rejects from the project. Thing was, Sasuke didn't look like any of the other inhabitants of the forest with their claws and horns and generally reptilian features, which meant that he was probably something different, special. And because Sasuke - who barely managed more than a few words at the best of times - was being so chatty he knew the kid was being eaten up inside by what he'd learned.

"According to Muramasa, they were trying to create people who were more like you. Why?"

If his tone were insulting or angry, Kyo would have taunted the young shinobi and told him that everyone wanted to be like him because he was amazing. However, Sasuke wasn't being rude or confrontational. He was genuinely confused and, to the Thousand Slayer, sounded a little uncertain - which wasn't like him at all.

"All I know is that it's partly to do with the fact that I can't get sick with the Death Disease. You know, that thing that's killing Muramasa. I don't know the rest because no one seems to want to tell me," he responded.

It was the truth. People said he was a True Mibu but refused to explain what in the world that meant. Then there were his massive leaps in strength followed by his increasingly negative thoughts and emotions. The more he fought and accrued power, the worse it got – like there was another version of him just itching to get out and wreak mayhem. He'd felt that way in the past too, but it was getting more intense and he felt as if there were a wall between both versions of himself that was breaking down.

An uncomfortable silence fell yet again until Yukimura spoke up and said gently, "Perhaps I'm not qualified to say this since I've been out of the picture for a while now but, I still think you should worry less about what you are and more about who you want to be, Sasuke-Kun. I thought I'd made that clear when you when you were a kid but," he sighed and Kyo knew he had that self-deprecating smile on his face as he concluded, "I suppose it's a little harder to keep things that simplistic as you get older."

For once, Yukimura was being completely serious and Kyo seconded his sage words by stating simply, "You're you. No matter what you find out, it doesn't erase the life you've built up to this point."

He could practically hear the wheels turning in that silver head, but the boy maintained his silence until at last they reached familiar ground. Even after all these years, he knew the smell of the dungeon beneath the castle - dust, decay, and old blood. It was the place where the higher-ups put the people they wanted to forget about and his jaw tightened as he walked past the cell where he'd been locked away after killing Nobunaga the first time and disrupting the Mibu clan's plans.

To say he despised this hellhole would be an understatement. This was where he'd been left to rot as a child and where he had once strangled a man to death to save Shinrei's life. He hadn't done it out of some obscure sense of nobility, he had done it because a part of him hoped that that soft, weak child would run away and tell his parents to set him free as repayment for saving his life. Clearly, that half-formed plan hadn't worked out, but he didn't hold it against the other man. Although the water-user didn't give voice to it, Kyo had seen and experienced enough abuse himself to know that Shinrei hadn't had it as easy as he'd assumed at the time. Having rich and powerful parents didn't always guarantee a better life.

He heard movement up ahead and his feet picked up speed as he clenched Tenrou tight and headed for the source. It didn't take long for him to figure out which cell held Muramasa. The closer he got, the more the hair on his arms and neck stood up from the presence of the seal around it.

There was some heavy-duty magic at work here and this barrier was stronger even than the one on the Hell Gate had been. He sighed in annoyance at having to tangle with yet another one of Hishigi's creations, but he was still determined to make it happen.

There were only a handful of people he would be willing to do this for and although he liked the part where he could push his abilities even further, the truth was that he wanted to see Muramasa again. No matter what the spirit residing inside of his sword told him about his parentage, the former Elder was the closest thing he'd had to a father for the vast majority of his life.

He missed the "old" man and the wisdom he delivered with his wry sense of humor. And he wanted to thank him in some way for the time he'd spent taking care of Yuya on his behalf. Kyo might have been bad with words but he could show him that he appreciated what he'd done via his actions and he held onto that desire as he approached the front of Muramasa's cell and stopped.

The Thousand Slayer half expected his mentor to be sitting patiently and conserving his energy while he waited for Sasuke and Taihaku to return with Julian in tow, but he should have known better. Rather than resting on his butt, he was standing right up close to the bars of his cell with his face and neck craned in his direction.

The moment those blue-green eyes caught sight of him, Muramasa's normally placid face broke into a smile and Kyo felt a childish thrill of satisfaction when he exclaimed happily, "Kyo! I can't believe it's you!"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yay, another chapter under my belt and I managed to squeeze in a drop of romance. I'm dying over here to give Kyo and Yuya more lovey dovey moments. Darn this plot and the need for them to be separated. Makes me wish I could just teleport everyone to the end. Ah well, gotta' make due now with Kyo's thoughts on Yuya and the build up to his emergence as the demon god. Next up, Muramasa gets freed. Akira dukes it out with Tokito. And I'm still hoping to cover what is going on with Akari. Sigh, squeezing that in without breaking the flow of the story isn't easy. T_T

Thanks for taking the time to read this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and if you've been reading and enjoying this fic but have not yet commented, I'd love to hear from you as well. Don't be shy, I love hearing from y'all and it really keeps me going. ^_^


	59. Lofty Expectations and Crushing Reality

**Thanks to:** **lmamc** (Lots more to come and thank you so much for always taking the time to leave a review. I always look for your name after I post a chapter.), **general zargon** (Tokito is such a cocky ball of rage but fun to write anyways although I do feel bad for Bon. Her fight with Akira did her a heap of good as a person in the mang so I'm super excited for their battle. As for Kyo, well, gotta 'slip that romance in where I can. ^_^),

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty-Three**

 **Lofty Expectations and Crushing Reality**

Hishigi never thought that it would be possible for him to resent absolute silence.

Perhaps, resent was the wrong word.

He was displeased. Dissatisfied. Disappointed. Discontent. Disgruntled. His razor sharp mind supplied him with an endless number of synonyms for what he was feeling and truly, the list went on and on, but all of it was rooted in a general dislike with the way things were. Which in itself was miraculous because he'd become so accustomed to failure and disillusionment for the past few decades that he had believed himself incapable of being either pleased or displeased by external factors.

Instead of looking for the happiness he knew he didn't deserve, he'd resorted to praying for his end to find him.

' _Please let me die.'_

' _Please let me go to sleep forever so that I don't have to wake up to this nightmarish existence.'_

' _Please make it so that I don't have to keep facing what I've become.'_

Every day, his wish remained the same and every day he opened his eyes and knew he would not get what he wanted.

He was _so_ tired.

A merciful god would have put him out of his misery. But he did not serve a god who was merciful, not any longer. His god spoke with soft words and wore a gentle smile, but he would use him until there was nothing left. He was quite insane as well, dragging the rest of them along with him into his madness. There, they committed acts against conscience and nature and sullied their hands with the blood of the innocent in the name of preserving the Mibu clan by leaving everyone else behind and starting over.

The only place where he was allowed the weakness of emotions and sentiment was in his own head and, even there, it was limited. He'd sealed his feelings away, bit by bit, as his few friends deserted him in body and spirit. First Muramasa left the clan entirely and then Fubuki distanced himself as well. The former moved on with his life and, mentally, the latter had never left the side of his dearly departed Hitoki.

With the selfish abandonment of his companions, Hishigi had been forced to face the cold reality that solitude wasn't as acceptable as he'd once believed. After spending millennia with Muramasa and Fubuki at his side, he found himself at odds when the bond between the three of them was drastically altered. And although love and romance was fine for the other two, it had never held any appeal for him and he was fine with that. The Doctor had found out early on in his life that he simply wasn't equipped emotionally to spend his time trying to make another person happy. Following one's heart was too messy and pointless for someone with a disposition rooted so deeply in logic and order. What he _did_ require, however, was someone he could converse with on an equal footing and who understood what he was thinking or feeling without being told. A friend to replace what he'd lost.

That was where the child across from him entered into it.

He watched his student move to and fro out of the corner of his eye and sighed internally. There lay the source of his disappointment - Number 13.

Some of his assistants had thought him mad at the time when he showed up with a human child in tow, but comprehension kicked in once the boy demonstrated his abilities. He was a shaman - an abnormally powerful one at that - and they were rounding up as many of them as they could get their hands on at the time. What they did not understand was why he treated the boy so differently after that initial introduction.

Instead of locking him up like the other humans, he kept the child close and started teaching him. He'd seen the keen intelligence paired with the all-too-adult emptiness in those violet eyes and knew that here was a vessel that was just waiting to be filled. He might have been cold emotionally but years of studying the moods and thought processes of the people around him made him imminently suited to molding the boy. Muramasa was gone and Fubuki wouldn't have understood his reasons and so he kept both his intentions and the child to himself. While the latter urged him to train an apprentice, he adopted one in secret and made a special project out of him.

If he could not return things to the way they had been for centuries, then he would fix the untenable situation his way. He would create the perfect friend.

The idea had come to him the moment he understood that Number 13 had a genius level intellect and was rapidly absorbing everything he taught him. Concepts that he knew humans wouldn't figure out for hundreds of years were taken in stride and disseminated back to him with striking insight. Ideas that should have been held back by an adult conscience and personality were accepted, even something like changing his gender to draw out his powers more fully was not disputed.

As he trained the child, he assigned him to record the various experiments he performed on his fellow shamans. No matter how much pain and suffering he witnessed on the part of his human and Mibu subjects, the boy never quested him. Rather, he became obsessed with making sure his master was satisfied with his results and did anything asked of him with a precision and efficiency that none of his other assistants could match.

A grown-up would have been impossible to shape without being broken first, but a child was a different matter and he had always had a fondness for little ones and their resilience. Therefore, he felt safe to push the boy harder, further. He opened up the storehouses of his cavernous mind and educated him. Science. Technology. Genetics. Swordplay. Anything and everything and he discovered a hitherto unknown greed in the process. While he did the king's work with the Mibu Reconstruction Project, he devoted everything else to making his pupil a success and learned that he too could become obsessed.

His protégé took all of it in and worked hard to please him and he found relief from his solitude at last because he had a companion and successor who could keep up with him despite his human weaknesses.

However, it wasn't enough. He still wanted a guarantee that his disciple would not decide to go off and abandon him like the rest.

He needed a way to insure that Number 13 could never leave him for good and that was when he knew that he would utilize the Medusa Eye. He used the devotion that he'd carefully nurtured inside of his charge and the young man had gone along with it right until the moment he realized what was happening to him.

Despite all the pain and accusations hurled at him and his student's subsequent departure, he had been pleased with the results. By that time, he'd already started implanting clones of the eye into his body to slow the progress of the Death Disease – which manifested shortly after Muramasa's departure – and he was inextricably linked to his "friend". He could see what he saw. Hear what he heard. And, most importantly, he could control Number 13. As long as he drew breath, the boy would never escape him and he was finally satisfied, his goal had been reached. As he'd told him, he implanted the Medusa Eye into his hand specifically because he had finally become worthy of the title "friend".

No longer was he alone.

When Kyoshiro had requested his assistance, he had felt a long buried thrill of excitement at the prospect of reclaiming Number 13. Working with the young man had been one of the few bright spots as his life wound down and he welcomed the distraction from the depressing knowledge that he wasn't yet allowed to die.

However, things weren't the same, which brought him to his present malcontent. His old student would have worked quickly and efficiently and filled the silence with conversation and an infectious excitement about what they were going to do next.

The current version of his student did no such thing. Under the control of the Medusa Eye, Number 13 was abnormally quiet and compliant. Like a mindless doll, the shaman did as he was asked – long robes and comically pink hair swirling in his wake as he walked from one end of the lab to the other - and nothing more. He did not speak unless spoken to and he was distant, uninterested in anything besides understanding who his master deemed as friend or foe – more specifically, whose lifeforce the eye could feast on and who was allowed to continue living.

Hishigi disliked it immensely.

Although he had anticipated this behavior, he hadn't expected the massive disparity between what he had known would happen and how the fulfilment of that reality made him feel. It had seemed so logical at the time to enforce compliance and companionship via the parasitic eye but he was all too aware of the fact that his pupil was there only because the weapon he'd bestowed upon him was suppressing both his will and his true thoughts.

The real Number 13 had grown up and made friends of his own once he was freed from the vacuum in which the scientist had raised him, and he wanted nothing to do with him. Right now, the person staring out from behind those violet eyes was someone else entirely and even if there were vestiges of his student trapped inside of that perfectly obedient shell, those scraps was destined to disappear as well once the Medusa Eye was fully activated.

Hishigi had wanted his friend back but - now that he had what he wanted - he was more alone than ever before.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Something is different about you, Kyo," Muramasa wasted no time in sharing his observation once he got over his initial shock of seeing his adopted son instead of Julian.

Kyo noted that he took great care not to touch the bars of his cell and surmised that physical contact would result in a nasty surprise for anyone with delusions of breaking the former Elder out. He also noticed that Muramasa looked a lot healthier than he had the last time they saw each other.

Fingering Tenrou's hilt, he replied, "I got stronger, old man."

"I know that. Even with my abilities suppressed by this barrier, the atmosphere changed the moment you entered the dungeons. Which is quite impressive by the way," he beamed him a proud smile that sent Kyo's gaze skittering away in response to the upsurge of emotion it caused within him. Muramasa was not given to copious amounts of praise and it took a lot to impress him because he'd seen so much in his life.

"No…it's something else," his teacher tapped a long finger against his cheek

His keen eyes traversed the Thousand Killer from the top and worked their way down, stopping when they came to rest on his sword.

They narrowed in concentration before his blonde brows rose and he asked, "Have you finally started speaking to your sword?!"

"Not yet," Kyo replied before correcting himself with, "at least, not on purpose. Tenrou has a mind of its own."

"I know. Each sword I craft takes on a distinct personality and spirit. Have you met the wolf who dwells within it?"

"Yeah, about that. It wasn't a wolf I met but someone else completely. There's something living in this blade but I'm pretty sure it's not what you were expecting when you made it."

Muramasa's brow furrowed in confusion and Kyo knew he'd best break him out of jail before going further. He was still sorting through the existence of the First King within his weapon and the revelation that he wasn't just some random bastard from the forest but someone with an actual parent. For decades, in his mind, Muramasa was as close as he was going to get to a father and it felt a little traitorous to acknowledge that the title might rightfully belonged to someone else.

Keeping a lid on his thoughts, he made an all-encompassing gesture with his free hand to indicate that he was talking about the barrier around the cell and changed the subject by asking, "Tell me about this thing, old man."

Even calling him by the nickname he'd always used felt weird. Muramasa was his old man but so was the ghost – or whatever he was – haunting Tenrou.

The look in those blue-green eyes was assessing but his mentor didn't question him further on Tenrou's peculiarities and said instead, "It's a barrier designed to completely cancel-out the use of ki within it with painful consequences if you try."

"Is that why you look better? I know using your ki makes you worse."

"If only it were something that mundane," he replied with a sigh, "No. When Tokito came for me and Aiko, she injected me with something and I woke up feeling better than I have in decades."

"So the disease is cured? Also, "she" as in Tokito is really a female?" Kyo's brows rose in surprise. He wasn't expecting that bit of news.

"It's a long confusing story that will have to come later. As for my illness, I wish it were a thing of the past but, according to Fubuki and the king, this is going to wear off at some point. In fact, I've been starting to feel that old exhaustion creeping up on me. It's all very inconvenient, Kyo."

The ancient let out another sigh and his shoulders slumped a bit as he said, "I also owe you an apology, Kyo. Because of my failure, Aiko was separated from me and Hishigi is doing who-knows-what to her as we speak. Yuya entrusted her to my care and, as her grandfather, I should have been able to protect her."

It was Kyo's turn to sigh and he ran a hand through his wild hair as he turned away and muttered, "Don't beat yourself up too much, old man. We got her back thanks to that snob who paid us a visit at your house way back when. But we lost Yuya along the way. I screwed up again and now the king has her. At least you have your sickness as an excuse. I don't have that."

And it burned him up inside. That he had her right in front of him and had still allowed her to be taken.

"Don't beat yourself up Kyo. I know you well enough to know there were probably circumstances outside of your control," the gentle words brought his gaze back to his adopted father.

"Kyoshiro turned on us and Hishigi showed up and took control of Akari-San in the confusion," Yukimura supplied helpfully and Muramasa's eyes widened but he nodded in understanding.

"Then it's a miracle you aren't dead. You're strong but, even at your current level, you'd be hard-pressed to fend both of them off _and_ Akari as well. I examined your young shaman friend when he visited my home, he is abnormally powerful for a human and his involvement with Hishigi explains a great deal. Hishigi himself is no one to trifle with and Kyoshiro is the Former King's heir. He might play the fool, but you know first-hand how dangerous he is when he gets serious."

Kyo knew that all too well. In all, he'd lost eight years of his life to the Mibu and half of those could be laid at Kyoshiro's feet. He had learned the hard way what the other man was capable of when they fought over Sakuya's life.

"Well then, if Yuya is in need of rescuing, we don't have time to chat. This barrier is obscenely powerful but…," he smiled confidently and folded his arms before continuing, "…so are you, Kyo. More than any of the Taishirou - more than anyone else in the Mibu clan, actually - you have the potential to reach the king and, hopefully, even surpass him."

There was such faith shining in his eyes and, for the first time, Kyo realized that his teacher knew far more about who and what he was than he let on.

' _You have the potential to reach the king because only you are a True Mibu like him,'_ the words were unspoken but he heard them for the first time.

Beyond his ingrained arrogance and belief in his abilities, he had sometimes questioned why Muramasa – who was powerful himself – had put so much trust in him. Now he had context and another piece of the puzzle that was his life fell into place.

However, he didn't dare ask the questions that burned inside of him.

' _What am I? What is a True Mibu?'_

Instead he raised Tenrou up and said, "I have a feeling I'm going to need this."

Like a dog pricking up it's ears at the mention of its name, his sword pulsed in his hand and he heard the distant howl of a wolf.

"Your instincts are as sharp as usual, Kyo. Your connection with your blade is the best way to draw out your latent powers. The stronger your bond, the more power you can call forth. Now, unsheathe it and hold it parallel to your body."

Kyo did as instructed and took a deep breath, then another – expelling his questions and doubts with each exhalation and quieting his mind so that he could hear Tenrou's call.

He closed his eyes in concentration and pleasure curled up his spine in response. Part of it was his normal euphoric response to wielding power but much of it originated from his weapon and he knew it was because he was actually seeking it out this time. Usually, he simply snatched away the bits of power he needed and ordered the blade to do as he wished but this was a new sensation. It wasn't quite a request for the energy he needed but an unspoken contract to work alongside with and use Tenrou's power for this moment.

The Thousand Killer had to prove his trustworthiness to the blade and, by extension, the being who dwelled within – the man who claimed to be his father – if he wanted full access to everything the sword could do. It was not a pleasant thought for someone as independent as him but he forced himself to remember the goal in front of him. He needed to free Muramasa and go to Yuya. His pride could take a backseat for a little while if it meant their lives.

He thought he might have heard a little chuckle and the sensation of a large hand ruffling his hair before a teasing voice said clearly in his head _, 'Good boy.'_

As if he were the dog and his sword the master.

The warrior almost lost his concentration as irritation flared, but he grit his teeth and replied mentally, _'Yeah, yeah. Let's get this done, mutt.'_

Kyo didn't hear anything else but he knew Tenrou was amused and he imagined he felt the sensation of fur rubbing across his legs - like a canine circling him out of interest – before his blade warmed in his hands. Thoughts of whether the First King was a dog, man, or both fell away as his sword's aura flared.

All living things had a ki - Muramasa's masterpieces were no different - and Kyo squinted his eyes as warmth engulfed him. Quickly, he synchronized his own ki to that of his blade and was rewarded with a rush of power that actually tightened the core of his body and had him growling pleasurably in the back of his throat.

This was…different. Wildly so. And he opened his mouth, letting out a pant of air to control the near orgasmic feel of the energy flowing through him. It was his normal reaction to using his ki but dialed up to a factor of ten and he took a moment to bask in the feeling. For a moment, he completely ignored his companions. Oh, he knew they were still there but with that came the heady knowledge that they were far beneath him. He was stronger than them. He could take them if they dared to defy him. Not just defeat them, he could _crush_ them.

For a split second, darkness curled upwards from his belly at the prospect of showing them what he could do but the sensation of being flicked hard in the forehead brought him back.

' _No time to get off on this, brat. Save your horniness and power-tripping for that woman you're always going on about,'_ the blunt, commanding voice pulled him back and he focused his gaze on the obstacle in front of him.

It was true, now wasn't the time to get over-excited just because Tenrou was letting him use its real powers a little bit. He knew this was only temporary and he didn't want to waste the chance he was being given.

As he stared in the direction of the barrier, he was pleased that he could actually see it now. Unlike that time when he plowed through the one surrounding the Hell Gate with brute force, he had the luxury of examining it with crystal clarity. It had multiple layers that pulsed with different colors and was made up of a tightly women mesh of arcane power that draped across the front of the cell and spiderwebbed through the bars and across the ceiling where it clustered in the four corners of the cell.

If it was organized anything like the one that he'd broken through before, he could see why he'd had such a time of it. He'd been trying to cut through literally thousand of layers of protection that were designed to fight back the more force was applied. He could do the same here but that was inefficient. As he stared at the fabric of the barrier, a single golden thread winked back at him and, focusing on that, he saw that it was woven throughout the tapestry of power and did not change colors with the rest.

Kyo knew immediately what it was and grinned. All things that were made by living creatures retained echoes of ki that signaled their origins and the more powerful the object formed, the more ki that remained behind once it was completed. In essence, the barrier was alive but only by virtue of the ki Hishigi had deliberately infused into it to keep it functioning as intended. Therefore, without that thread to keep it all together…

He chuckled and extended the power flowing through him towards that golden thread. It resisted his onslaught at first but it was no match for him and, within seconds, the ki dissolved and took the barrier and all of its layers with it.

' _And one more thing,'_ he heard the First King's voice once more and swung his sword once then twice across the bars keeping Muramasa separated from the rest of the world.

The sound of the metal pieces hitting the stones beneath their feet echoed through the dungeon and then Tenrou reclaimed its power and went silent once more, leaving him to stagger back from the abrupt withdrawal. He cursed the sword in his head but, unsurprisingly, there was no reply from his fickle weapon.

"Well done, Kyo!" Yukimura said, clapping his hands together and even Sasuke looked like he might have been impressed.

Kyo acknowledge them with a jerky nod that made his world tilt briefly. He squinted and shook his head a couple times before directing his eyes towards Muramasa and saying, "You're set now, old man."

His teacher said nothing, merely stared at him with an expression he couldn't read, and alarm shot through Kyo at his inaction. He was certain that he hadn't hurt Muramasa but maybe there had been some sort of curse on the barrier that would kill the former Elder once it was gone.

He didn't delay once that occurred to him, quickly stepping over the severed bars on the bottom of the cell and fighting down the feeling of panic that tried to take root. There was no way he would accept losing his mentor just after finding and busting him out of jail.

Reaching out, he grabbed ahold of Muramasa's shoulder and shook him hard to break him out of his trance as he said harshly, "Snap out of it, old man. Don't tell me you're about to die from shock."

Instead of responding, Muramasa looked away and it was on the tip of his tongue to demand an answer for his behavior but the feel of his should beneath his hand stopped him.

Eternally calm and unflappable Muramasa was trembling and his throat moved up and down as if he were trying to speak but couldn't find the words.

Panic mellowed to regular worry and sharpened his tongue as he snapped out, "What's wrong with you, Muramasa? Are you about to croak on me or something?"

That actually got a chuckle out of the ancient and he shook his blonde head as, without looking at him, he replied, "Don't be rude, Kyo. I'm just…"

He paused again and Kyo started getting annoyed.

"I'm not the one acting like I can't speak. And I'm not the one shaking either. Seriously, snap out of it, old man."

"Calm down, Kyo," he heard and ignored Yukimura's interjection.

His mentor was acting unnatural in the extreme and it was making him uncomfortable. Muramasa always had something to say and he never lost his cool and he never shook like he was…afraid. His stomach twisted and he was just about to shake his surrogate father's shoulder once more when he spoke again.

"Kyo…you're so strong now," he said softly, his voice laden with disbelief.

"I'm pretty sure we already covered that when we first got here."

The blonde shook his head and said, "Yes, but you dissipated that barrier like it was nothing. You synchronized with Tenrou and removed an obstacle that only the two strongest people in the clan could break. And you did it so skillfully instead of just tearing it apart like you would have in the past. You've grown."

The awe in his voice disturbed Kyo deeply and he tried to cover over his discomfort by saying gruffly, "Of course I grew. I haven't been sitting on my butt. And why aren't you looking at me? Is there something wrong with my face?"

His mentor shook his head slowly and now Kyo could see the emotion etched on his profile as he clarified quietly, "You don't understand. This is…like being in a dream. As childish as it sounds, I feel like I'll wake up the moment I look at you directly."

The former Elder paused again briefly, then practically whispered, "Even though I set you on this path, I was supposed to be dead by the time you reached this level. I never expected to be blessed in this manner, Kyo."

The hand beneath his shoulder continued to tremble and because he was no good with words, he settled for giving it a hard squeeze. And for a second, he lowered the guard on his thoughts and allowed Muramasa to hear him.

' _I'm here. You didn't waste your time,'_ even thinkingit made him feel self-conscious but he held firm so that his mentor could listen.

The ancient man had raised him and pushed him to become stronger. Every battle he fought and won over the past few decades was a tribute to the hard work Muramasa had poured into him. With as much as the other man had done for him, helping him now in his moment of need was the least he could do.

From the side, he saw his teacher's lips curl into a smile and knew that his sentiments had been conveyed.

Removing his hand, he looked over at Yukimura and Sasuke - who had turned their faces away to give them a moment – and said, "Let's get a move on."

As he stepped back over the remnants of the cell bars, he heard Muramasa murmur in a thick voice, "Thank you, Kyo."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jealousy was not a new emotion for Akira. Whether it was in his perilous hand-to-mouth existence as a war orphan or having to work twice as hard to keep up with Kyo and the other Shiseiten, he had always been plagued with a vague sense of being on the outside looking in. He longed to be where his companions were at.

He hadn't wanted to listen to Anthony when he explained how he had unlocked an immense amount of power in each of them. Perhaps, because he had just received the crushing news of his own inability to progress and couldn't believe that there was that much of a gap between himself and the others.

His entire life had been one long struggle to carve out his own place in the world and he was strong, but his friends were constantly marching ahead. Always, he had to work twice as hard as everyone else to keep up and to hear that he was at the end of his rope was unacceptable. He had found his purpose in life by following Kyo and competing with him while simultaneously committing himself to watching his back.

But things continued to change. Kyo continued to outpace everyone and he kept getting further and further behind until it felt like his teacher was becoming an untouchable dream. Too, the Thousand Killer's priorities were changing and Akira envied the fact that - even with the distraction of a wife and children - he continued to grow ever stronger.

' _It must be nice to be able to slack off without falling behind,'_ he thought and immediately berated himself.

That was unfair of him. Kyo pushed ahead _because_ he had Yuya to strive for, he'd found his reason to live. Although the idea of a family with members who actually cared about each other – and he had to make that distinction because familial love was foreign to him – sounded like sinful luxury, his teacher had earned it. Observing the way he interacted with his children, Akira had found himself wondering what life might have been like with parents who would challenge the gods themselves to keep him safe.

He didn't crave a family of his own per se – women like Yuya were rare gems and most of them were too weak in both mind and body to interest him - but he wanted that balance that Kyo had found. If he had that, perhaps being told that he was destined to fall behind wouldn't hurt so much.

Akira's mind swirled around and around as they carved their way through Tokito's personal army. Enemies that would have taken them hours to defeat fell before them. He had refused to allow his friends to fight for him so that he could conserve his power for when he fought Tokito. The ice-user needed the warm-up and he already had to endure the humiliation of knowing that he couldn't even reach the Elder without his companions to back him up.

Thus, they worked in unison, cutting down the soldiers coming after them in great swathes while, inside, he burned with cold anger. Hotaru and Shinrei showed the greatest improvement and he tried not to notice that the two men – despite their obvious dislike for each other – were incredibly in-sync as they fought. The two were of the same blood and it showed it the way they wove around each other, fighting for supremacy while covering each other's flanks. Even Benitora was putting on a good show and that only rubbed more salt into his wounds. The Shogun's son was arguably the weakest in their group and even he had pole-vaulted ahead.

His frustration built as they pressed forward and he poured it out through his swords and into towering spires of ice that trapped and impaled anyone who got in his way. In no time at all, they were facing Heart, Diamond, and Club and he bit his lip so hard that he almost drew blood when they rushed Shinrei and were summarily cut down in one fell swoop. No fuss, no struggle. They were there one moment declaring their strength and making threats and then they weren't. That a trio of people who had given him a difficult time were so easily disposed of made his heart clench with pain.

If he couldn't touch them, then what would he do when faced with their much stronger master? He literally had no other option than to follow Anthony's advice and hope that a near-death experience would be enough to muscle through his own shortcomings as a fighter.

Silence fell once Tokito's personal guard was no more and it remained while they caught their breath until Shinrei said with an awe-filled tone, "Anthony-San really did power us up. It was like they were moving in slow-motion, Keikoku."

"Hotaru," Hotaru corrected him automatically before saying, "I guess taking it in the butt from Anthony really helped."

"C'mon, man, can't you word it another way? That conjures up all sorts of mental pictures," Benitora lamented.

"Eh, but he stuck us all really hard. It hurt."

"Honestly," the Shogun's son sighed in annoyance.

"You should know how he is by now, Benitora-San," Shinrei chided before tucking his swords back into his sash and continuing, "Still, the difference is significant. I'm almost looking forward to testing my strength against Hishigi again. I'm certain that it will have a different outcome this time."

"I thought you'd go for Fubuki first. I already called Yun-Yun," Hotaru said.

"I might not be as strong as you, but I gotta' admit that I kind want to face these Taishirou myself to see if I can make a dent."

"Nah, they'd still kill you," Hotaru replied without hesitation.

"Yeah, you're probably right but this is still crazy cool. I'm not even that winded after fighting all those guys," he stretched energetically.

Akira, who actually was breathing a little harder, listened to their playful banter and felt his resentment deepen. They were so easygoing while he was struggling to keep up and the jealousy he fought against reared its ugly head again.

He couldn't keep the coldness out of his voice as he said mockingly, "If you're through being impressed with yourselves, we need press on. Bon's life depends on me beating Tokito."

An uncomfortable silence fell and he knew they were all exchanging looks and thinking to themselves that he was being over-sensitive. Maybe they were even pitying him because they secretly felt he couldn't do it. Perhaps looked down on him now because he was having the hardest time keeping up after mocking them on multiple occasions for their lack of strength and mental weaknesses. Negative emotions swirled within him and he was spared from making a bigger fool of himself by the sound of laughter.

Although it was a young voice, there was no hiding the malice intermingled with the mirth. The tone was all wrong for it to be Spade and the person had a much more powerful presence. Steps echoed in the room as this new person made their way forward and even without his vision to aid him, he knew the moment this new person's eyes landed on him. His skin prickled with awareness at being observed and the laughter grew even more scornful. Even though his senses told him that Tokito was quite small in stature, they also told him that this person was very, very dangerous.

"I came to see what was taking my servants so long to report back to me and lo and behold, I see two traitors, the child of a man who thinks his silly human army is enough to break our hold on this country, and a commoner who fancies himself the equal of his betters."

"And this amuses you?" Akira asked softly.

"Oh, I think it's hilarious. So, you actually believe a blind nobody like _you_ can beat _me_? I'm not sure if I should admire your death wish or be insulted by your audacity."

His laughter bounced around the room and prodded at Akira's already frayed temper. His voice was positively dripping with ice as he said, "Tokito of the Four Elders, I presume."

"You presume correctly, Akira of the Four Emperors," his future opponent said before swinging his arms wide in invitation.

"Ah, but I'm being a poor host," Tokito continued mockingly, "Thank you for the laugh and in exchange, please allow me to welcome you all to hell. You're going to be here a long time, so I urge you to make yourself comfortable."

The arrogance that rolled off of each word curled around him and he focused on every syllable coming out of Tokito's mouth. His opponent was so sure of both himself and the outcome of the battle and that gave the young warrior the strength he needed to push his own inadequacies to the background.

' _This is the person who kidnapped Bon. This person is looking down on you.'_

The giant was important to him and he had spent his whole life proving people wrong about his capabilities. Kyo believed that he was coming back and, as always, he could not fathom a world in which he failed or disappointed his idol. His doubts melted away before the clear mission that was set before him and he steeled himself for the battle to come.

He needed to save his friend and this person who called himself Tokito needed to be cut down to size. A lesson in humility was in order and he was the one most suited to deliver it.

With the deadly calm of someone who regularly faced and overcame his own mortality, he slid his swords from his sheath and held them at the ready as he said with chilling politeness, "I accept your invitation, but I must correct your assumption, Tokito-Sama."

He uttered Tokito's name in a silky tone that mocked the honorific attached to it and knew from the thickening atmosphere that the other man was not amused. A teasing smile played around his lips in response. Arrogant people were so easy to manipulate and that gave him power over his opponent whether he realized it or not.

"This is not hell," he indicated their surroundings and kept his voice light, with just the right dose of patronization as he continued, "This is a child's playground. And so, I must extend an invitation of my own to set the record straight."

He called up his ki easily and the temperature began to drop as he said invitingly, "Come, Tokito-Sama," allow me to show you just how cold my version of hell is."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stuff is about to go down next chapter. Sorry I don't have Akira and Tokito fighting in this chapter. The actual deed is going to be next chapter. Kyo interacting with Muramasa took longer than expected but I really didn't want to rush their reunion. I feel that if I'm going to run with this plot point of Muramasa still being alive, I need to give it the proper attention it deserves.

Thanks again for reading and please let me know what you think.


	60. Holy Mothers and Holy Terrors

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Thanks. ^_^), **J Luc Pitard** (I'm so happy to hear from you again and I'm super happy you liked what you read. I apologize because I know I've been a little inconsistent but it's the usual real life stuff getting in the way - illness, hurricanes, and all that good stuff. ;-) Thanks for hanging in there anyways. Writing Kyo and Muramasa is fun and it's nice to know I haven't messed up that particular change to the original story. The goal with Kyo in this fic and the prequel has always been to have him mature as a person while keeping what we love so much about him and I hope I'm not disappointing you on that front either. I think Kyo can be calmer about other men who have a crush on Yuya because he knows she loves him so much that other men don't even register for her. As always, writing Yuya and the King is pretty fun. He and the other Mibu are so arrogant that they constantly under-estimate her because she's human so it gives her a little wiggle room. Anyways, I talk too much. Hope you enjoy the fight below. ^_^), **Azure** (I know real life can be super busy, I've been going through that myself lately too. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment despite being busy. I love writing Kyo's interactions with Muramasa and keeping him alive this time around has been a blast. You are correct that Hishigi's actions are inexcusable and also correct that he knows that. He's pretty much already given up on life at this point and only his promise to follow Fubuki and the king keeps him going and both of them will keep using him until there's nothing left. His ending was a little sad in the manga.)

 **Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay but this chapter is extra long to make up for it. There will be typos because I'm about to pass out but I'll go back and check them later. Enjoy! =)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty-Four**

 **Holy Mothers and Holy Terrors**

If he was going to have to court death to overcome his limits, Akira decided there was no point in holding back and even more so when Tokito drew his sword and he got his first real idea of the gap that separated the two of them.

More like the chasm between them.

He had heard that his enemy wielded one of Muramasa's famous blades and he had all the proof he needed of the truth of that as soon as the blade exited its sheath. As sensitive as he was to ebb and flow of ki around him to compensate for his inability to use his eyes, the feel of Tokito's power hit him with the force of a club. By himself, his opponent was powerful - frighteningly so – but with Muramasa's blade in hand, his aura filled the room and the blind man almost staggered beneath its crushing weight.

There was nothing subtle about the way his enemy wielded his power. Even without the benefit of sight, he "saw" with his heart and felt the way his opponent's aura moved and pulsed. It was an all-consuming ki that writhed about and pushed unpleasantly against the walls of the room as it expanded outwards and - though it was predominantly blue and silver – there were streaks of red throughout.

He'd known enough anger and frustration in his life to identify it when he saw it and it put him on high alert. Although rage could make a warrior clumsy, it could also make this fight even harder and Tokito didn't seem the type who would go down easily. He couldn't be one of the Taishirou without the power and skills to back up the position.

It was both scary and exhilarating at the same time. He was facing a battle that he was almost certainly destined to lose, and yet his heart was pounding with excitement.

Normally he would allow his opponent to make the first move so that he could get a more accurate measurement of their abilities but since Tokito was strong enough to end him with a single move if he wasn't careful, he didn't wait.

Gathering his ki quickly, he swung his blades and yelled, "Muhyo Getten!"

The temperature dropped abruptly and two spires of ice advanced across the floor with blistering speed towards Tokito.

He expected the other man to dodge but he just stood there and allowed his attack to hit him and the blind man bit back a grimace because there was barely a flicker in his ki at the impact.

"Oh, was that supposed to freeze me?" the Elder asked, flexing and breaking the ice that collected on his arms and shoulders with minimal effort.

He raised his sword and called his ki to his own blade as he said, "I was expecting a little bit more from you, Akira. What with your bold words about showing me what hell is like. I guess you're all talk just like your big-headed friend."

Tokito let out a long-suffering sigh as he continued, "At least you seem to be faster than that oaf. Would you like to see if you can entertain me for longer than he did?"

The ice-user felt that a verbal answer to that question was unnecessary and truthfully, the other man didn't give him time to answer. Within the space of a heartbeat, Tokito was in his face and swinging his sword at his arm and he threw up his right arm to block the blow with his sword before twisting to block a blow that came from the opposite side.

' _Fast,'_ Akira noted as he ducked beneath a third swing and twisted away before summoning his attack once more and directing a single sharp spear of ice towards Tokito, who threw his sword up to block the attack and sucked his teeth in annoyance as it pushed him back a few feet.

It was to his benefit that he couldn't see. His eyes wouldn't have been able to keep up with his enemy's movements and he would have been dead from the second blow. It had all happened within the space of a second. First blow, then he spun around his back and launched the second one before stepping around his front for the third one.

' _Good at chaining combos together,'_ Akira made a note of that as well and dodged quickly to the side before back-stepping to avoid another swing. He wasn't so fortunate that time and Tokito's blade caught him across the chest. He grit his teeth as he took another step backwards and felt blood beginning to well up from the wound.

"Ahhhh, he bleeds. But don't worry too much, Akira. It's just a scratch. I don't want you to die until you learn what it means to fear the Taishirou and I've already had my fun with Bontenmaru. I do so enjoy playing with my toys before they break," he laughed and irritation lodged in Akira chest.

"Your overconfidence will be your downfall. I _will_ beat you and I _will_ take Bontenmaru back," he said and the other man just laughed even harder.

"Sure, sure. Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? I've already drawn first blood and we've barely gotten started. But by all means, keep struggling. I want to see you writhing in agony."

Akira tried not to dwell on the fact that Tokito wasn't even fighting him seriously yet as he continued in a more serious tone, that was laden with annoyance, "I can't stand filth like you – arrogant commoners who don't know their place. Weaklings who think they can stand up to their betters and overcome their inferior blood through sheer will. And I'd love nothing more than to repay the insult you've given me just by showing up to fight."

With incredible speed, Tokito closed the gap between them again with a powerful downward blow that he had to block with both swords and which cracked the stones beneath his feet.

"You'll be the first to go," Tokito whispered with malicious glee from within the intimacy of their locked blades.

Then he backed off and came at him from the side so quickly that Akira barely had time to twist away. Pain blossomed in his arm as his opponent continued, "And then I'll handle your traitorous cheerleaders over there next."

He disappeared and the blind man side-stepped in the other direction, bringing the sword in his left hand up to parry. Tokito suddenly changed course and attacked his other side again, this time aiming for his thigh.

Pain sparked to life yet again as the other man went on, "And when I'm done with you lot. I'll rid the world of Demon Eyes Kyo at last, preferably in front of Muramasa so that he can finally understand just how pointless his faith in him was. And after that, I'll put my father out of his misery."

"I neither know nor care who your father is," Akira grunted as he spun away and sent another spire of ice towards Tokito. The Elder didn't even bother to block it this time, he merely snorted in derision and swung his swords with such force that it split it in two and sent the halves racing on harmlessly to either side of him.

"His father is Muramasa, at least, that's according to Fubuki," Shinrei clarified from the sidelines.

"Oh, yeah, I thought I heard something like that a while back," Hotaru added nonchalantly and Akira just knew he was rubbing the side of his head like he always did when vital information just so happened to shake free from his pitiful memory.

Benitora's reaction was more normal and he let out a loud, "WHAT?!"

Then he followed it with a blunt, "You can't be serious! How could a nice guy like Muramasa-Han produce such a vicious psychopath?"

Akira knew the moment Tokito's gaze snapped over towards Benitora with less than benevolent intent and - silently cursing the other man's loose lips - he closed in on his opponent and baited his attention back to him with another ice attack that left him wide open.

As expected, Tokito dodged it easily and muttered contemptuously, "Honestly, how stupid can you be?"

He slashed his sword downward and smirked as it tore through Akira's body. However, his victory was short-lived and the real Akira said from his behind him, "I'm more surprised that you were stupid enough to fall for such an obvious trick. Muhyo Getten!"

As Tokito pulled his sword free from the ice clone he'd left to take the blow intended for him, Akira came in low and slashed his swords upwards, calling ice up from beneath Tokito's feet and lifting him off the ground as it encased him.

It wouldn't hold him, Akira knew that, and so he continued gathering his ki and segued his attack into another one.

"Hyokenseiso!" he called and the air around him chilled even more and - like the petals of a flower - the walls of his ice fortress rose up and trapped the two of them together.

He still wasn't done though. The ice surrounding Tokito began to crack as he expanded his ki outward to escape and he continued pooling his energy so that, the moment the Elder was free, he intoned with deadly calm, "Hell's Ghost!"

As nebulous flames sprang to life on the edge of Tokito's sword, the Taishirou said irritably, "When will you understand that you're too weak to beat me? no matter how much effort you put into training yourself, blood will always tell!"

He swung his sword and cut down one side of the ice fortress like it was nothing, aiming for the Akira he saw in front of him. But the real one was banking on the reflections shown by his fortress to throw off his aim and he avoided it easily, welcoming the familiar sub-zero drop in temperature to signal that it was time for him to perform his strongest attack.

The blind man used the opening provided and closed in with his swords at the ready. He'd been monitoring Tokito's movements closely and, as he moved in, he said with deadly seriousness, "I've been watching you this whole time, Tokito. And for all your talk of strength, there is a critical flaw in your defense."

The flaw he spoke of was Tokito's left flank. The Elder didn't leave it open for very long - a second or two at the most at any given time - but the sensitivity to his surroundings that he'd spent years honing stood him in good stead and he aimed his attack for that narrow window of opportunity.

"Let's see how you handle this! Grand Cross!" the chill from his Hell's Ghost technique made it feel as if he were wielding two icicles as he swung them at Tokito's unprotected side.

"Wha…?!" he was pleased to hear Tokito's shout of surprise at having his weakness taken advantage of and he was so focused on seizing the upper hand as quickly as possible before his enemy had time to ramp up to his full power that he barely understood what happened next.

One moment, the Elder was yelling in shock and in the next he heard a glee-filled, "Just kidding!"

And then pain seared through him as a blade came out of nowhere and pierced his shoulder, forcibly bringing his attack to a halt when it touched bone. He staggered back and reflexively brought his swords up to block an attack that didn't follow.

Instead, Tokito's laughter filled the air as he held up not one, but two swords and said between chuckles, "Oh, you should have seen your face. You were all excited because you thought you'd caught me by surprise and then you were gaping."

He continued laughing while the blood flowed from Akira's new wound and then he held his two swords at the ready by his sides as he continued, "I was waiting for you to try and attack my blind spot. But you took so long I almost fell asleep. When will you learn that the difference between the two of us is insurmountable? Ah well, now I can finally get serious. I've got to hand it to him, my father might be a failure in most things but his weapons are something else. These two blades are what make up Hokuto Shichisei, named after the constellation. And just like their namesake, they split into two blades named Tokai and Tohyo. Perhaps it's a good thing you chose to fight me, Akira of the Shiseiten, as a fellow dual-wielder I'm looking forward to beating you at your own game."

"Now," the colors or Tokito's ki grew even more brilliant in his mind's eye and he knew what followed was going to be very bad as he said, "It's my turn. Try not to die too quickly, okay?"

Akira couldn't even follow as Tokito intoned his attack and moved so quickly that it made it painfully obvious to him that their original exchanges hadn't even qualified as a warm-up for the Elder.

"First Star, Tonro!"

The first strike caught him across shoulder with such force that he lost his footing and slammed into the wall.

"Ah, ah…no laying down just yet. After all, there are seven stars in the Hokuto constellation," Tokito said from behind him, so close that his breath caressed his ear.

After that, it was a massacre.

"Second Star, Komon! Third Star, Rokuson! Fourth Star, Mongoku!"

The name of each star was punctuated by a vicious strike to a different part of his body. His arms, his legs, his face.

"Fifth Star, Rencho! Sixth Star, Mugoku!"

The strikes kept coming and to his horror he felt his body weakening from the continued assault. There wasn't time to counter them at all. In fact, there was barely time for him to draw breath in between each hit. Sheer will, kept him on his feet but the final blow robbed him of even that dignity.

"Seventh Star, Hagun!"

As frustrating as it was to find himself in the predicament of being completely outclassed to the point that he was simply incapable of mounting a counter attack, there was a small measure of comfort in knowing that this was the final strike. As the Elder raked his swords across his chest, it was that singular thought that allowed him to stumble then dig his swords into the ground to keep his body upright.

"Akira-Han," he heard the sound of Benitora's voice and the sound of feet shifting against stone and knew that his companions wanted to rescue him.

Without even thinking twice about it, he spit out the blood that had filled his mouth from Tokito's assault – a sure sign that some of his internal organs had sustained damage – and ordered harshly, "Stay out of this! I told Kyo that I would beat him and I will…without your help!"

"But Akira-Han…," he could hear the worry in the nobleman's voice and he softened his tone ever-so-slightly as he replied.

"I have to do this, Benitora. I've endured worse."

That was a lie. He'd fought any number of people and sustained injuries that had brought him to the brink of death many times. But none of his opponents had been as powerful as Tokito and not once had he ever known as clearly as this that he was alive only because his enemy willed it.

It was also a lie to say that he was doing this only for Kyo or even for Bon. Though he still followed Kyo and would do his best to back him up as needed, he had also had to re-evaluate both himself and his goals during the past four years of training. From the moment it became clear that Kyo would not always be the same Kyo he had always known and that - with Yuya in the picture and now children of his own - they would never go back to the way things had been.

At first, the realization had brought with it a form of grief and resentment towards the people holding Kyo back and then eventual acceptance of the situation and he had to ask himself if he planned to spend the rest of his life always chasing Kyo's back.

The answer was no.

Kyo had set him on the path of a warrior and he would always be grateful to and respect him for that. He would still fulfill his vows to Kyo because it was important for a man to keep his word. He would save Bon because the giant had also shaped him to be who he was. However, as he stared at his own blood dripping to the stones beneath his feet, he knew it was time to stop trying to be Kyo and become Akira.

He had always had to struggle to keep up and that would continue to hold true. If he wanted to stand next to his friends who had the benefits of a noble birth then he would have to get strong in his own way and that meant doing things his friends would never dream of doing because they didn't have to fight as hard as him.

It was true that Kyo could perform miracles because of who and what he was, but he was different and his miracles would have to come from his own sweat and blood as they always had.

There was a feeling of calm – almost cathartic in nature - as he tightened his trembling hands around his swords and summoned his ki once more.

"Are you still planning to fight? You _know_ you aren't stronger than me," Tokito's voice was scornful at first then bewildered as he continued, "Why are you going to such lengths?"

It was probably the first time his opponent's voice had lost all traces of mockery and Akira felt that such a genuine question deserved a genuine answer.

" _You can technically activate all of the cold points in your body and force it to go into survival mode. It'll produce a crap-ton of power if it doesn't kill you._

The memory of what Anthony had drawn him aside to tell him right before they left echoed in his head and he took a deep breath as he called forth his Hell's Ghost attack once more.

" _The chances of you surviving are only about 10% though. And, at most, you'll have only five minutes to make things happen. After that, you'll be screwed because - even if you manage to win - you might burn yourself out and never be able to fight again."_

To him, since he only dealt in absolutes, it came down to two choices. Die like a dog or die on his feet.

And because he was Akira, he chose to die on his feet.

"Hell's Ghost!" he grit out before he allowed his own technique to swallow him up and then the pain began.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tokito didn't understand Akira. One moment he was holding himself up with his swords through sheer will and in the next he was using his own attack on himself.

"Is he trying to commit suicide," she pondered out loud, more to herself than anyone else before her musings were cut off by an inhuman howl of pain.

It was so intense that he straightened up just so that he could bow himself backwards in the other direction. The air was so cold that she could see freezing plumes of mist rising off of and around him before ice started forming on his body directly.

Within seconds, he was frozen solid and she felt a twinge of disappointment that he had chosen to kill himself rather than continue fighting. He might have been a weakling but at least he was interesting.

Sighing, she started to turn away when she heard a loud pulse that echoed through out the room and it brought her attention back to the lump of ice that sat where Akira had been.

She couldn't explain it, but something about that gleaming cocoon was unsettling and she started to gather her ki once more as the pulse grew louder.

So it was that everything changed in the blink of an eye. One moment the room was normal and in the next it was covered in ice. Even the floor directly beneath her was frozen and she felt a surge of panic as she twisted her head from side to side and was greeted by gleaming walls of white. Within moment, the ice started to rapidly crawl up her legs and, using Tokai, she quickly broke the crystals and leapt backwards as far as she could, glaring suspiciously at Akira's self-inflicted prison.

A loud crack sounded and she saw a plume of cold air escape from the spot where his mouth was as he exhaled. His ki started to rise at alarming rate and she took an involuntary step back because his presence was completely different from before. It was all-consuming, wrapping around her with freezing tendrils that stole her breath away and made her feel as if she were no longer the hunter but the hunted.

When he spoke, his voice was as calm as a frozen lake and yet his words cut her to the heart as he said, "What a sweet face for such a cold-hearted person. I can see it so clearly now."

Confused by his meaning because she knew for a fact that he was blind, she gasped as the ice started to crumble away, revealing his face to her and her heart started to beat double-time.

He was looking at her. _Really_ looking at her with his own eyes and it frightened her like nothing else in her life ever had.

His eyes were blue and grey - the color of a stormy winter sky - and they both gazed at and then through her.

"There is one thing that you are correct about, Tokito. And that is that I have always had to struggle to keep up with my friends. But because of that, I have learned to be willing to do whatever it takes to surpass my own limits. I have been broken and mended time after time but because of that, I knew that I had to go farther than I've ever gone before to defeat you. Farther than life and even farther than death and, because of that, even the sight I took from myself has come back in my time of need."

"Prepare yourself Tokito," he commanded with those intense eyes upon her and she couldn't help but do as she was told because there was no refuting the evidence that the tide was changing.

"My two eyes and my "Eye of the Heart" will not allow you to escape!"

As he spoke, his ki continued to rise and, for the first time, the question of whether or not she would win this battle was not a resounding "yes". She had never seen a blind man regain his sight and it shouldn't have been possible for a common human like him to put out so much energy.

Still, she had a job to do and so she summoned her nerve once more and said, "You talk the talk but lets see if you can actually keep up. Let me show the speed that even Bontenmaru couldn't keep up with."

Tokito circled him at almost max speed and closed in on his right, gritting her teeth in annoyance when he blocked it easily with both swords. She backed away and came at him from the back back site but he blocked her over his shoulder with the blade in his left hand and, without even looking at her directly, he swung his sword at his viciously.

She was forced to block but the blow knocked her off of her feet and sent her body careening across the room and though the wall and into the next room over.

' _How?'_ she wondered in frightened confusion.

' _He's just a human. And a peasant at that! He shouldn't be able to read my moves or push me back at all.'_

She blinked and then he was there right in front of her and his rough fingers were on her chin as he held her in place. His eyes bored into hers as he asked quietly, "Is that genuine shock I see this time, Tokito? Better be careful or your face might freeze that way."

The taunting way he violated her personal space was too much and she yelled, "Don't touch me!"

He stepped back but she didn't allow him to get away as she called out her attack, "Hokuto Seven Stars!"

She didn't hold back as she executed her move a second time and started chaining her attack together.

"I won't leave even your bones this time!" she yelled as she pushed him back and he held his swords up to block.

However, no matter how she pushed, he refused to fall and she felt the icy fingers of fear on her spine as she finished the attack and he lowered his blades to look her in the eye once again.

' _How could he have withstood that?'_

"Is that all? If that's all you can do, then I see no point in dodging anymore. This time I won't leave you standing."

His eyes never lost their gleam as he crosses his swords once more and came at her with terrifying speed as he said gently, "Holy Mother's Reflection on Ice."

She thought she felt the sensation of his swords raking across her body and as he passed, she could have sworn that she saw the image of a woman looking down on her with a halo behind her head and a benevolent smile on her face. It was a comforting image and when he moved past her, all she did was stagger a little.

She felt no pain at all and her confidence came flooding back as she whirled around and smirked at her opponent.

"Is that all? And here I thought you were going to knock me off my feet. Besides," she brushed the tiny crystals of ice that his attack left in its wake from her shoulders and continued, "I thought we already established that you can't freeze me."

Akira said nothing, merely maintained his kneeling position where he'd come to rest after executing the and she continued smiling until she felt a chill creeping up her body. Looking down, she was met with the frightening image of a swarm of tiny, winged women that surrounded her body and laughed at her with hollow eyes and gaping mouths. She blinked to clear away the illusion and stumbled as pain suddenly rocked her body and cuts opened up everywhere she'd seen one of those tiny sprites on her person.

Tokito hadn't even felt herself getting cut and yet there were now thin lines of blood all over her arms and legs and her palms were getting sticky from it.

' _I didn't even feel him cutting me. Where is this coming from?!'_

Akira supplied the answer to her unspoken question and she stared at him, bemused by his calmness, as he said, "That was Heaven's Ghost. A chill that surpasses even Hell's Ghost. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to perform it, and so I must thank you for pushing me so hard, Tokito."

"I don't need your thanks," she spat out, "I just need you to die already."

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. You are already caught by Heaven's Ghost. Soon it's going to start freezing your bones and then your organs are going to shut down but do not worry, your death will be painless. You will be cradled in the arms of the Holy Mother until she puts you to sleep permanently. It's a far kinder death than you deserve."

The longer he spoke, the more she began to feel the chill creeping into her bones and the greater her fear became. Her own mortality was facing her and the need to survive kicked in. There was only was she was going to survive this as, as much as she despised having to resort to her true form, she cared about living even more.

As ice began to rise around her, she released the seal that kept her body in its adolescent state and at the same time she watched as Akira doubled over in apparent pain.

' _Looks like all that power comes at a price,'_ she thought as she used her ki to forcibly break out of and reverse the chill attacking her body.

As she came loose, she swung her sword and sucked her teeth in frustration as her opponent lifted his blade and blocked the blade of light she sent his way.

Her bound breasts pushed uncomfortably against the cloth now that she was in her adult form and she wrinkled her nose as she felt the weight of her lengthened hair against her back. She hated this form with every fiber of her being and her resentment at being pushed this far by someone like Akira ensured that she would remove him from the equation with extreme prejudice.

"I can't believe you actually managed to force me into this horrid form. Well, as they say, you reap what you so and now I'll let you be the first and last person to witness Tokito of the Taishirou at full strength. Perhaps then you'll finally learn to regret your arrogance in challenging me."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Akira wasn't sure what to make of Tokito. This new form was completely different. Gone was the childish face and thin body and in its place stood a delicately formed man who could easily have passed for a female. His short hair was now long and curled about his shoulders in pale golden ringlets and he was taller as well albeit not hugely so.

Still, the biggest changes came in the form of a massive increase in his ki and he braced himself as the Elder let loose an immense aura that peeled the ice from the floor and sent shards of it hurtling in his direction. He quickly deflected the sharp debris and his newly heightened senses sent alarm bells ringing as his opponent closed in quickly and attempted to split him in two.

He quickly blocked and held his ground although the force of it completely shattered the stones beneath his feet and about twenty feet out from his body. Although, he didn't fall. His body felt as if it were being torn in two and he knew his time was running out. He had less than four minutes to use his power and then he would be at Tokito's mercy.

"What that I see, running out of power already?" the Elder said, "Don't fall to pieces now that I've finally brought out the big guns, Akira. I'd hate for you to start boring me now."

His powerful strikes continued without mercy and Akira parried them with increasing difficulty, wracking his brain for a way to defeat this even more powerful version of Tokito. His vision was a keen as it had ever been before he gave it up permanently and his senses were even sharper. He didn't just see bits and pieces of his surroundings, he saw everything including things that would have been invisible to the naked eye. And that was what saved him.

Akira's enemy was powerful but, with just a little bit of concentration, he could analyze the state of the body beneath his skin and he a myriad of tears in the muscles and tissue through his body. Although his power was overwhelming, he took heart at knowing that he had already down a fair amount of damage and that gave him the strength to fight back.

A ruthless back and forth slugging match ensued as they traded blows. Tokito wasn't back down and neither was he. While the timer in his mind counted down the minutes and seconds until he would run out of power, he ignored the pain spreading through his body and pressed on.

Kyo believed in him.

Bon needed him.

And he had found his own path.

"Fall already! I'm faster than you. Stronger than you. My blood is that of the gods. Give it up!"

One minute.

"Your blood means nothing. If all you can talk about if your birthright, then all you're doing is relying on your father yet again! That makes you weaker than me."

Thirty seconds.

"You know nothing! All you are is scum. You're the weakest of Kyo's lackeys."

Fifteen seconds.

"I might be scum, but I'm still standing!"

Ten, nine, eight…

Tokito gathered his ki as he yelled, "This is it for you Akira!"

…Seven, six, five…

Akira gathered his energy as well as he replied, "You took the words out of my mouth!"

…Four, three…

"Blue Skies, Silver Nebula!"

' _Work!'_ he prayed as he used every last bit of his remaining power to close the gap between the two of them.

…Two…

He moved faster than he had ever moved in his life and ducked beneath the beginnings of his attack.

…ONE!

With one last decisive blow, he plunged the sword in his left hand into Toktio's chest and, ignoring his shocked face, he whispered, "Heaven's Ghost."

There was an explosion of ki between the two of them and then he blacked out.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tokito gasped in pain as her body skidded across the floor and her vision swam for a moment as she registered the fact that Akira had just completely cancelled out her attack with one of his own.

The room was deathly quiet and she rolled over with a groan of pain, searching for her enemy and finding him prone on the floor. His ki was practically nonexistent now and she knew that he had probably used up every last drop of it by now in his attempt to defeat her.

He didn't stir as she slowly dragged herself to her feet and fumbled around for the swords that had flown from her hands. It was obvious that he was out cold and she wasn't willing to allow this opportunity to pass her by.

' _Before he manages to pull anything else out of his behind,'_ she told herself as she walked unsteadily over to his body.

Slowly she raised her swords with the intent to finish him off and then something happened that she couldn't understand. Unlike her, he hadn't lost his grip on either of his swords and all she heard was a sharp intake of breath from him before his body rose up and he slashed his swords at her with deadly precision.

Her inability to comprehend how he was still moving caused her to hesitate for half a second and with that, the battle was decided. Pain lanced across her chest and then she knew no more.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When Tokito came to, she was on the ground and her body felt like it was on fire from her many injuries.

"I still don't understand how he could be Muramasa's kid. Their personalities are so different," Benitora murmured and Tokito shot him a hard look from her position on the floor before taking stock of herself.

She was still in her hated adult form and she grimaced as she realized that, if she wasn't careful, they would get an eyeful of her breasts. Her top was tattered and she breathed in and out a few times to brace herself before forcing her body to revert back to her "normal" form.

Neither of the two men, looked at her and she wondered why they weren't paying attention to her.

"That's like asking how you could possibly be the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu," Akira replied to Benitora as he turned his head in the other man's direction

The older man scratched his chin and grinned as he replied, "True. My father is a real jerk sometimes. Well, actually…most of the time."

"Hmm…and here I was referring to his intelligence. The more time I spend around you the more certain I am that he hoarded most of it for himself and handed only the crumbs to his offspring," the ice-user uttered the comment down with such a mild, matter-of-fact tone that it took her a second to realize just how insulting he was being to his so-called friend.

Tokito half-expected Benitora to yell and holler like the idiot she'd pegged him as, but his grin only widened and he replied cheerfully, "There's the stuck-up Akira-Han we all know and love. This is much better than watching you mope around because you've hit your stride. I can't say you're wrong, though. I don't have a head for strategy like my old man. Guess that means I'll have to do things my own way when I take over."

"Whatever you say," Akira murmured and for some reason, she felt that he was a little annoyed at not getting a rise out of the other man. His resting face wasn't at all easy to read and she continued to stare at him while she tried to decide if he were sulking or not.

"I see you are awake once more, Tokito. Is there something you're hoping to see? Looking to go again?" he asked as he finally rotated his body just enough to face her directly.

His eyes were closed once more and she knew without being told that he was blind again. But, she wasn't foolish enough to assume that he hadn't known the moment she was awake. His perceptiveness was almost scary.

Although his tone wasn't teasing, her face flamed at being the focus of his attention, she snapped at him on reflex to cover up her embarrassment.

"I can't accept being beaten by you! We _will_ fight again and I'll have my revenge on you!"

Even to her ears, her words rang with false bravado and she reached her hand out to grab ahold of Hokuto Shichisei once more just incase he actually took her up on her offer.

However, her hand closed on air and she twisted her body around frantically, wondering where her sword had gone.

"Looking for this, Tokito-Sama?" asked a familiar, monotone voice and she turned to stare in surprise at Spade.

Although his face was as impossible to read as always, she felt relieved nonetheless to see someone she knew and she was elated to see that her sword had not disappeared at all but, in fact, had been retrieved by her servant.

"Where were you the whole time I was fighting, Spade? You could at least have made yourself useful," she snapped before shaking her head and continuing, "Never mind. Hand me my sword."

She wasn't sure what it was that came over him at that moment, but a shiver of unease worked it's way down her spine as he shook his head slightly and replied, "I'm afraid that's not possible, Tokito-Sama. I need this to complete my duty."

"Complete your duty? What are you babbling on about? Your duty is to protect me as one of my guards."

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, Tokito-Sama. My duty was to watch over Hokuto Shichisei and retrieve it in the event that you were no longer fit to wield it. As one of Muramasa's legendary blades, it must not be allowed to fall into the hands of anyone who would oppose the king."

"Is that some sort of joke?" she exclaimed even as her heart started pounding with the knowledge that Spade never made jests. However, she couldn't bear to think about it. To do so would be to acknowledge the fact that she was being betrayed and about to lose everything she had worked so hard for.

"It's the truth, Tokito-Sama. You have reached the limits of your usefulness. We do thank you for all of your hard work."

No matter how politely the words were spoken, they were still patronizing, and she cursed as she struggled to her feet, hating the fact that Akira's attacks had done such a number on her that even standing took a lot of effort.

She took a step forward and Spade took a step back towards the shadows and she lurched forward, attempting to get to him before he could disappear again and, more importantly, take away her weapon. She _needed_ that sword. It was hers by blood and Fubuki himself had entrusted it to her. Her mind brought up the insidious idea that it was quite possible that Fubuki had given Spade his marching orders and she immediately rejected it. It wasn't possible. He wouldn't do that to her. He wouldn't have given her everything just to take it all away when she needed it most.

In front of her, Spade began to meld into the shadows and she picked up speed, hand outstretched to catch ahold of him, but her injuries made her clumsy and slow and he faded away as silently as he'd come.

"Farewell, Tokito-Sama," the words were said with the first and last hint of emotion that she'd ever picked up from her deadpan servant.

That emotion was mockery.

The young woman halted the moment his presence disappeared and the rush of energy that had allowed her to stand left her as suddenly as it had come. Slowly, she sank to her knees again and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down before she started hyperventilating and made an even bigger fool of herself.

As she stared at the floor beneath her, to her horror, the edges of her vision began to mist up and she screwed her eyes shut with a mixture of disbelief and humiliation.

She would _**not**_ cry. Crying was for weaklings and women and she wasn't…

She wasn't…

Tokito paused, she didn't know what she _was_ at the moment. In the blink of an eye, she had been discarded. The place Fubuki had bequeathed to her and the place she had carved out for herself had been stolen away.

Hurt welled up inside of her but she refused to cry. Instead, she did what she had always done with her pain and used it to feed her bitterness. She had always taken pride in being one of Taishirou, in knowing that she was not destined to be discarded like the lower classes in the Mibu clan once the Mibu Reconstruction Project reached its completion.

But…it looked like that was a farce. She had been thrown away like the trash she accused Akira and Kyo and the rest of their ragtag little band of being.

The irony of the situation was not lost on her and from the depths of her being, mirth bubbled up and made its way past her throat and through her lips. She started off with a chuckle and it only grew until she was laughing out loud.

Her heart was wreathed in pain but she couldn't cry, not in front of an audience and especially not in front of Akira – the man who had handed her very first defeat to her. And so, she laughed and laughed – a sound that grew more unhinged the longer it went on - and threw her head back, shutting her eyes so that she would have to look at anything or anyone.

A part of her expected her enemies to make fun of her or take advantage of her vulnerable state to end her but there was no movement. The longer they simply stared at her while she put on a show, the more irritated she became that they weren't taking advantage of this moment to put her out of her misery. She didn't have either the strength or means to fight back, so what were they waiting for? She'd be going to town on them if their positions were reversed.

After a while, her laughter began to slow and she started to look around again at the men behind her. She glared at each of them in turn and was annoyed when they refused to meet her gaze.

Tokito wasn't an idiot. She knew when she was being pitied and she hated them.

Frustration made her voice rise an octave and she asked harshly, "Well?! Aren't you going to laugh? Isn't this hilarious? I went on and on about you lot being useless and weak and it turns out my colleagues were just biding their time to cast me off. Don't you enjoy seeing me like this? Isn't this your chance to get rid of me for good?"

Shinrei, Keikoku, and Benitora said nothing but Akira had a thoughtful look on his face and something about that calm demeanor made her fixate on him.

"Do you have something to say, Akira?" she demanded.

He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully and said nothing for a long while before letting out a sigh just as her temper started rising even more.

"I've already defeated you, Tokito. You don't get to tell me what I'm supposed to do with you afterwards," he said coldly.

His tone was so hard that she flinched before gathering her composure and replying sassily, "Only a fool would leave his enemy alive. You can't turn your back on me Akira of the Shiseiten or you'll find a dagger in it."

"Oh? I'd be interested in seeing you try. But…," his movements were stiff yet dignified as he rose to his feet and deliberately presented his back to her in a clear challenge.

"…For me to even entertain the idea of a rematch, you'll have to catch up to me first," he continued, "And before even that, you'll have to wait until I defeat the enemies that now stand in my way. You need more training, but I'll take you on after all of that. Unless…you plan to quit right here."

He interjected just the right amount of mockery into his voice to have her scrambling to her feet yet again, just so she could face him with balled fists and shout, "As if I would! You're just scared to fight me again because I almost won!"

"Should have. Would have. Could have…do not a victor make. I'm not sure you could even defeat me without your father's sword in hand. You seem so crushed at the thought of losing your _only_ advantage," he said it so mildly and yet that very gentleness only highlighted his implication that she was incapable of fighting without some sort of crutch.

"I don't need Muramasa's blade to beat you, Akira."

"So you say. I suppose you'll just have to get stronger and prove to me that you can get on my level," he shrugged as if it were no skin off of his back, whatever she chose to do.

She narrowed her gaze at him, wondering if she could punch him - just a little bit to get back at him for being such an infuriating human. But, there other distractions that caught and held her attention. With his back to her, she finally noticed that their fight had shredded a good chunk of his top and there was plenty of skin on display.

As a child of the Mibu with access to their enhanced healing abilities and the best medical knowledge available on the planet, Tokito had limited exposure to scarring. Minor injuries disappeared within hours while major ones were patched up with nary a trace left behind and she had never seen anything remotely like Akira's body.

Despite his medium build and youthful face, his back was layered with hard muscle and gleamed with sweat. With every breath he took, the light played across the rough skin stretched over his frame and highlighted the welts, cuts, bruises, and every other mark imaginable that decorated his flesh. As much as she lamented her lot in life, she knew with a cold certainty that she had never suffered the same way he had. The proof of his hard life and the struggle to get stronger was permanently carved into his body. Even his scars had scars of their own and, with her keen eyesight, she could see little ripples where the bones beneath the skin had broken and been healed improperly.

His body was the epitome of imperfect and yet, she couldn't pull her eyes away or stop her brain from mapping out the stories behind those blemishes, some of them obviously quite old. The story of Akira's entire life was etched on his skin and the longer she stared at him, the more her cheeks heated up. There was a strange level of intimacy at being able to ascertain at a glance the sort of life a person had lived.

Akira's many disfigurements told her the reason why he was able to defeat her and - despite her immense strength - she suddenly felt that a different sort of gulf existed between them. While she had been born to her power, he had wrested his from within through backbreaking work and stubborn determination.

In the end, they had traded blows on an equal footing and he had beat her without being fully conscious. All of that was because of those marks and, although she had made fun of him in the beginning, that painstaking effort was what had produced that miracle.

Hate him she might.

But, she could respect his back.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Phew, that was a long one but I didn't want to break it up and leave you all hanging. The half-way point was right when Akira blacked out and it would left you with a cliffy. Next chapter, Julian might put in an appearance and I hope to move Kyo on to Hishigi's lab and the fight with Akari and Bon will hopefully get rescued as well. At least, that's the plan but you know me, it might go in a different direction if the plot takes me there.

I hope you enjoyed the fight between Akira and Tokito and I apologize again for the typos. I'm going back to edit this after I get some sleep.

Thanks as always for ready and please, please let me know what you think. Compliments or constructive criticism are always welcome.


	61. Rock and Roll

**Thanks to: lmamc** (Tokito is getting there. She and Akira are one of my fave couples. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.), **general zargon** (I have a confession to make, I love Akira and Tokito as a couple and I've been dying to write their battle for a while now. Glad you liked it and that I kept them in character for you. =D), **Guest** (Well, here's the next one. ^_^), **J Luc Pitard** (No, I wouldn't ever kill off any of the main characters, I'd prefer to hand out as many happy endings as I can get away with. Tokito has a long journey ahead of her but - now that she's gotten the butt whooping she so richly deserved - we can finally put her on the right road to healing. I loved writing Akira and Tokito's battle, it's definitely one of the more epic ones in the manga and I adore the two of them as a couple as I feel they are well matched.)

 **Kurenai Kioku**

 **Chapter Fifty-Five**

 **Rock and Roll**

"If he isn't home, I have a strong suspicion that we'll see Julian soon," Muramasa said, turning his head this way and that as they ascended the stairs wrapping around the side of the mountain on their way towards Hishigi's section of the castle.

So far, they had encountered only a handful of soldiers and Kyo was on high alert. His intuition told him that they were headed for a trap. There was no way the king and the Taishirou were unaware of their movements. There was very little that the king missed on Mibu lands and he knew they wouldn't be allowed to just waltz along for much longer without serious opposition.

"What makes you say that, Muramasa-San?" Yukimura asked, eyes shifting from one side of the steps to the other.

"Because he has a knack for showing up only when you need him. When I was here, I can't begin to tell you how often he disappeared to play around with his wife. The two of them were inseparable and I'm sure he was devastated by her loss. If he's gone ahead to find a way to strike at the king directly, he'll show up the moment he knows we're coming."

"And you're sure he'll be willing to help?"

"I'm sure. But, even if he isn't, didn't Shihoudou give you the means to enlist his aid?"

That earned him a chuckle from the nobleman who had already explained what had happened with the ex-Elder back in the labyrinth and about the panties he had safely tucked away on his person.

Muramasa laughed right along with him as he replied, "That's such a silly way to ask for help but it's just like the two of them. They were best friends for millennia. And his wife, Ian, was actually Shihoudou's apprentice, which was why she was a natural fit as a Taishirou once her mentor stepped down."

"Sounds like all of you were pretty close once upon a time."

"We were. Julian and Shihoudou are like older siblings to me and Ian was like my little sister. Shihoudou actually took her under her tutelage pretty late in her life. Ian was significantly younger than all of us - about thirty-five years old at the time and this was a century-and-a-half ago – but it was love at first sight for my teacher. You should have seen him. In between our blacksmithing sessions, he would hide out and compose love songs for her."

"Sounds moronic," Sasuke muttered, making a face.

"Oh, no doubt about it, they qualified as a so-called "stupid couple" but watching the two of them brought a smile to my face. When she accepted his proposal, it was beyond amusing to watch him strutting around and crowing about the fact that he had gotten himself, and I quote, "a hot young wife". You know what that's like, don't you Kyo?" he teased slyly.

Kyo refused to rise to the bait and instead replied, "I'll agree on the young part, but my woman will always be Dog Face to me."

Of course, it was a term of endearment rather than an insult at this point. To him, Yuya was the most beautiful person that had ever walked the earth. It wasn't because of her face - although she was pretty enough - but the whole package. Having slept with any number of legendary beauties in his lifetime, he wouldn't have been able to fall in love with her if all she had to recommend her was her looks. Her immense appeal lay in her kind spirit and the unconditional way she cared for and trusted the people around her even when it came back to bite her in the end - like her love for him or her friendship with Akari.

In the wake of his internal musings, Muramasa shot him a knowing look but made no comment about his private thoughts as he continued, "If you need further proof of just how much they adored each other, look no further than the number of children they produced together. We Mibu have never been prolific breeders and most families prefer to average one to three children, if they have any at all. Altogether, the two of them had ten children, which made them quite a spectacle to the rest of the clan."

"I heard about that. I'm actually a little surprised at my own connection to Julian's family. I knew that my own mentor was once your bodyguard, but I had no clue he was also Yuan's brother and Julian's oldest. I found that out from one of the quintuplets, Yurian, I believe was his name."

"It does make the world seem a little smaller, doesn't it?" Muramasa replied with a smile.

"So exactly what sort of person is Julian, besides a doting husband and a blacksmith? He sounds like he's completely different from you."

"Oh, he is. He's the sort of person you can't forget once you meet him. I think Shihoudou once said that proper way to describe him would be to say that he's larger-than-life. He's charming and charismatic when he wants to be and has incredible flashes of brilliance, but he's also pretty childish and forgetful at other times. I can't tell you how often he would sneak off just so he could spent time with his wife or make music. He goes where the wind blows him and only Ian could tie him down. I imagine he's been at loose ends without her to keep his life in order."

His expression turned sad and Yukimura sighed heavily as he replied, "A great love only comes once in a lifetime. Who can blame him for wanting to get revenge on the people who took her away?"

The nobleman shot Kyo a sympathetic look as well but knew better than to mention Yuya's name at that moment.

They travelled on in silence until Kyo heard the faint but rhythmic sound of music. It was coming from up ahead and, moments later, Muramasa perked up as well.

"I think we might be closer to meeting Julian than we think," the former Elder said, hastening his steps.

As they drew closer, Kyo narrowed down the sound to a guitar of some sort and he kept a firm hand on Tenrou just in case they had to fight, as he picked up speed. The sooner they met up with Julian the sooner they could find out if he had found a shortcut to the castle and, by extension, Yuya and the King.

As the music continued to grow in volume, they rounded a few more corners and came across an astonishing sight.

The answer to why they had encountered so little resistance was sitting there, strumming his guitar and singing slightly off key while sitting on top of a mountain of bodies, each dressed in the uniform of an imperial soldier. As one, they all stopped and took in the incredible view.

Only Muramasa seemed unfazed and his face broke into a wide smile as he said fondly, "And there he is - my one-of-a-kind sensei."

While the air was filled with a bizarre and winding verse about siring dozens of kids and thousands more blades – all sung in a gruff tone - Kyo focused directly on the man making music. And he used the term "music" loosely. Now that he'd laid eyes on Julian, he now understood what Muramasa meant by his teacher being a character.

Just like Shihoudou, he dressed in a manner that belied his age. Both his distinctly western-styled hat and the haori draped across his shoulders that doubled as a cape had a gaudy orange and back leopard print. The collar of his cape was made of thick black fur and his chest was bare save for what looked like a thick metal collar with a dangling chain around his neck with an additional necklace beneath that. Even sitting, Kyo could tell he was quite tall and his legs were clad in black pants and knee-high dark brown boots that laced all the way up. Like half of his children, his hair was a very pale shade of blonde but it was both long and wild on him.

In a clan full of people who regularly put on airs and went on ad nauseum about how refined they were and how much better they were than humans, he was the complete opposite. Here was a man who made no bones about his own individualism and expressed it in the most overtly obnoxious way he could. It was crystal clear to him now where Julian's children had gotten their unique fashion sense and Kyo wasn't sure if he should respect the man in front of him for his boldness or roll his eyes at how loud his outfit was.

Whatever the case, Julian continued singing for a full minute and he didn't even look at them directly until the last strains of his song had faded away. Once he was done, he wiped away imaginary tears and turned his attention to his audience, giving Kyo a chance to see that he had a heart with a sword piercing the middle of it tattooed on his right cheek.

The man was like the gaudy gift that just kept on giving and Kyo was truly mystified as to how this person had produced a student as skilled and serious as Muramasa.

Pale eyes set in a handsome face scanned their little group and stopped on Muramasa before widening. He let out a low whistle, slung his instrument over his shoulder, and stood up before leaping down from the pile of corpses with incredible speed to stand before them.

At his full height, he was almost as tall as Kyo and he kept his eyes trained on the former Elder for a long moment before he cracked a grin and gave him a vigorous slap on the back.

"Well, well, who'd 've thought I'd ever see you again, Muramasa. I see you still haven't grown a beard yet to tone down that girly face of yours."

"As you know, facial hair just isn't my thing. Besides, my wife wasn't a fan of it either," Muramasa replied good-naturedly.

"Ah, yeah. I'd heard that you'd gotten hitched a few years back. Bet you just wanted an excuse to be all lovey-dovey like your old sensei, eh?"

He jabbed teasingly at the younger man with his elbow and Muramasa sighed and shook his head as he replied, "I wouldn't dare challenge you on that front. I don't think anyone ever has or ever will come close to your relationship with Ian. Unfortunately, I lost my wife a while ago. Like you, I'm a widower and, as much as I miss Mayumi, I'm also just as sorry for your loss. Ian was very dear to me too."

And like that, the mood turned somber and Julian's smile lost a bit of its luster as he took a step back and adjusted his hat with his free hand, obscuring his eyes for a moment as he said, "Yeah, I know. My Ian was a sweet one. She didn't deserve to go out the way she did."

Beneath the brim of his hat, Kyo saw his lips tighten for a moment before he tilted his head gear back again and shifted his gaze to him or, more specifically, Tenrou. His eyes widened and he let out another whistle, this time in appreciation as he fairly caressed the sword with his gaze.

"This bad boy needs no introductions," Julian muttered as he took a step closer to the blade.

Kyo shot him a warning look and the older man simply winked back at him as he said, "Simmer down, Demon Child. I just want to get a look at the sexy blade my student made. I've gotta' hand it to him, I'd heard Tenrou was a beast of a sword but the stories don't do it justice. It had a mind of it's own and I can tell just by looking at the two of you together that you are _thiiiiis_ close," he placed the thumb and forefinger of his left hand a hairsbreadth away from each other, "to really speaking to your sword. Isn't that right, my beauty?"

Just a moment ago, he was fairly salivating over Tenrou and now he was actually speaking directly to the sword. It was strange and bizarre, but he also had the oddest feeling that Tenrou was pleased by the attention it was getting.

Julian smirked and the look in his eye was both very old and very knowing as he took a step back and addressed Muramasa once more.

"In my creeping around the castle, I'd heard the infamous Demon Child was making his way to see the king but I wasn't expecting you so I can truthfully say it's my pleasure to see you once again and in such good health. Still, as much as I'd like to think this is a social call, I didn't take my time clearing out the king's lackeys for my health. I wanted a chance to hear you all out with being interrupted and I also wanted to do my part to insure your pupil would accomplish what you came here to do."

"I'm glad to hear that. In fact, that's why we came here - to look for you specifically. According to your children, you've been digging a route to the heart of Onmyouden castle. We were wondering if we could have you guide us."

Considering his situation, Kyo expected him to leap at the opportunity to help but he surprised him by responding regretfully, "Well…I'm not opposed to helping you out, but I haven't gotten what I want yet. More specifically, I'm waiting for a certain signal that it's all clear for me to move forward. You lot might be strong but, even if we're all together, there's no guarantee we'll be able to face the king and all his Taishirou, one of whom is my own flesh and blood."

"So, you're afraid then, old man?" Sasuke spoke the words with dangerous softness and he crossed his arms over his chest. Those golden eyes were trained intently on the swordsmith and Kyo knew that he was just as eager to reach the king and rescue Yuya as everyone else, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered to speak at all. Having a life on the line meant that they had limited patience for people who stalled.

"Oh, so the shorty has jokes?" Julian replied without heat before he sighed and took out a long, thin pipe. Reaching into his pocket, he stuffed it before lighting it with his ki and sticking the device between his lips. He took a long draw and breathed out a thin plume of smoke from the corner of his mouth as he stared at them with a contemplative look.

The seconds ticked by before he reached up to pluck the pipe from his mouth and said, "It's not fear that holds me back, kid. It's that I'm practical enough to know that it's all or nothing when facing the former king. I'd already worked out a special signal with a buddy of mine and if she doesn't give me the go ahead, I can't trust that a full out attack would do anything more than get us all killed. And then where would we be? Back to the beginning and worse off that when we started the first time. I've been around long enough to see the king in action, the dude is a monster."

From the corner of his eye, Kyo say Yukimura perk up when Julian referenced a woman and understanding dawned on his face.

"So, if I am to understand you correctly. You need a specific signal?" the black-haired nobleman asked and Julian took another draw of his pipe before responding.

"Yeah."

"Well then. I think I have just the thing," Yukimura said slyly as he reached into the folds of his clothing and drew out a familiar scrap of cloth.

With teasing slowness, he unfurled the silky panties until they were revealed in all their glory and brought them up until they obscured the lower part of his face. Julian's eyes narrowed in on the racy garment with definite interest and the other man cleared his throat delicately before continuing.

"Oh Julian, please save me!" he purred in his huskiest voice, "If you do, I'll give myself to you."

He punctuated his words by flapping the delicate undergarment in a beckoning motion towards the colorfully dressed man.

Julian raised a brow and then he began to laugh so hard that he almost dropped his pipe. In moments, the air of resignation around him disappeared and Yukimura smirked when the man held his hand out in a beckoning motion and he tossed the panties over towards him.

The blacksmith caught them deftly and, with a sigh, rubbed them against the side of his cheek. Sasuke made a sound of disgust and Kyo was right there with him. They were a couple of dirty old men and he didn't want to think where those panties had been since they had come from Shihoudou.

However, Julian cleared that up easily enough once he was done basking in the silkiness of the underwear when he said, "I've been waiting forever for Shihoudou to send these back to me along with the secret code."

"Send them back to you? So, they weren't hers," Yukimura actually sounded a little disappointed.

"Naw. These belonged to Ian. I told that old witch down in the labyrinth to return 'em when the time was right and it was supposed to serve as a reminder of why this whole screwed up system the king has in place needs to crumble. Looks like my moment to shine has finally come," he chuckled wickedly as he tucked the flimsy article into his pocket and patted the resulting bulge for good measure.

"So, you'll help us after all?" Muramasa asked hopefully.

"Muramasa, the king had my sweetheart murdered and dumped her body in the middle of a corridor to serve as a warning. And ever since, he's been holding my family hostage to get what he wants out of Yuan."

He trained murderous eyes on Kyo and his bloodlust was a tangible thing as he said darkly, "Break him, Demon Child. I want him dead."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"WHERE IS THAT SADISTIC LITTLE PIPSQUEAK?!"

The voice bellowed the demand so loudly that it left Akira's ears ringing and he sighed in both irritation and relief. His hearing was quite sensitive, so he had to grit his teeth for a moment, but he felt a trill of excitement all the same. Bon was still alive and quite well by the looks of it.

Off in his corner, Tokito muttered something under his breath about loud, stupid apes and the blind-swordsman smirked. The Elder might have been a phenomenal warrior but his personality was oddly childish and now that he had come out on top, he had the luxury of taking an even closer "look" at his conquered opponent.

For some reason, the other man kept glancing his way, but he chalked it up to him trying to understand how one of the strongest fighters in the Mibu clan had lost to the weakest member of the Shiseiten and a common human at that. Of course, Akira knew the reason was that his years of effort had paid off at last and he was immensely pleased that his back-breaking hard work had born fruit.

Unfortunately, he was just as certain that it was a one-time thing. Although his senses were working well, he couldn't call up his fighting ki at all. Like a fire that had burned itself out after consuming all of the available fuel, he felt as if all the energy had left him at once. His challenge to Tokito to follow after him had been a serious one but he wasn't entirely sure when or even _if_ he would ever be able to muster up that much power again and give him the re-match he craved.

It should have been a soul-shattering realization and yet, he still felt a sense of elation.

He, a mere mortal, had defeated one of the Taishirou. A feat that even Shinrei and Kyo - two of the strongest fighters he'd ever met - hadn't managed yet, at least not for a current member. Akira of the Shiseiten – a useless, castaway war orphan – was the first.

"Stop grinning like that, it's weird on you," Tokito demanded sharply and he turned his head in the direction of that imperious voice and raised a brow.

"And what exactly would you know about what constitutes as strange or not for me, Tokito? I am under no obligation to bow to the demands of a loser. Be grateful I'm not inclined to kill you," he replied evenly, knowing full well that it would annoy the other man.

"I didn't ask you to spare my life. In fact, I seem to recall telling you this was the perfect opportunity to end me," the smaller man shot back and Akira allowed his smile to widen. He had a low tolerance for weaklings and - despite losing to him - Tokito still had plenty of spirit left in him.

From what he could tell, the other man ran on pure emotion and was completely inept at expressing himself without insults or jumping to the absolute worse conclusions at all times – all symptoms of a person whose buttons were easily pushed. And enough of Kyo's personality had rubbed off on him that he actually looked forward to needling him a bit.

In truth, something about Tokito's immaturity reminded him of the way he himself had been once upon a time – around the time he was a teenager. If the other man truly planned to follow after him, a part of him wanted to see what sort of fight he could wring out of him once he grew up a little.

In his mind's eye, he saw the Elder's true form once more and remembered the disgust that had been etched on his face. It was such a strange reaction for a fighter to have when he had a body coursing with so much raw power and he wondered if he would have won at all if Tokito had accepted that version of himself as well and trained it more.

Bon embraced his animalistic side. Hotaru painted himself with blood markings that unleashed insane amounts of power. Although he hated his dangerous abilities, Akari didn't shy away from using them with expert and deadly effect when the need called for them. Kyo could pull power out of nowhere sometimes. And now even he had managed to temporarily regain his sight during the battle and - combined with his abnormally sharp senses – he had ascended to an even higher level as a fighter. At last, he was on an equal footing with his friends and it was all because he had learned about, accepted, and over-come his limits.

Together they were Kyo and the Four Emperors – men with the power to take over the world. Men who never took no for an answer and would do whatever it took to grow stronger. That Tokito hated a part of himself that, in theory, should have completely turned the tide of battle in his favor was bizarre and Akira wondered if there were even more to him.

It was a mad thought considering the poor state of his ki and the uncertainty about his future as a warrior, but it was who he was. He lived to fight and craved bigger and better challenges. If they were destined to have a rematch, he wanted a worthwhile battle and he couldn't help but embrace the feeling of déjà vu that came with his words to the other man.

The similarities between his offer and the invitation Kyo himself had given to him all those years ago were striking and a part of him felt that he and Tokito weren't so very different in the end. Where they diverged was that he had friends to keep his bitterness in check and Tokito clearly didn't.

A series of crashes off in the distance brought him back to the present and he said, "I was under the impression that you had incapacitated him. Granted, he's more monster than man so if you don't kill him outright, he has a nasty habit of bouncing back."

"So I noticed," Tokito replied sourly, "I was planning on interrogating him some more."

"That would have been a useless waste of time. Bon might be an idiot, but he'll die before he turns on a friend," Akira replied.

Tokito was about to respond when the door on the far side of the room exploded into splinters and a very loud and very disgruntled Bon burst through. His entrance was accompanied by the smell of fresh blood and Akira surmised that he'd been fighting to make his way to their present location.

Tokito confirmed his assumption by saying irritably, "I can see my guards were just as useless at keeping him contained as they were at stopping you lot from advancing."

"To be honest, only a Taishirou could have stood up to him. His stamina is ridiculous and he comes back stronger from every battle," Akira replied.

"If I'd known that, I'd have gotten rid of him. I expected him to be out until I came for him."

"Bon rarely does what's expected of him. He's essentially a…," Akira continued.

"I beat him pretty hard. He's like some sort of…," Tokito continued talking as he watched Bon's approach.

"…wild animal," they concluded at the same time.

The rest of the men in their group, who had been talking around them, fell silent and Akira knew they were being stared at.

The air around Tokito grew stony before he spat out fiercely, "How disgusting can you get?!"

He then proceeded to drag himself to his feet again and stomped off, apparently looking for a corner to sulk in while he tried to avoid being assimilated into the group of people who had humiliated him.

' _Good luck with that,'_ Akira thought sardonically. He'd been trying to accomplish that for years but Kyo and his crew were disgustingly charismatic. It was starting to become a trend where the enemies they didn't kill always wound up becoming allies of some sort - to varying degrees.

Unfortunately, the Elder's movements drew Bon's attention and the giant headed directly towards hi, with determined strides and a definite aura of violence.

"You!" Akira pictured him pointing an accusatory finger at Tokito as he stopped in front of him, "Get over here! We've got a score to settle!"

Although the much smaller man had beaten him up earlier, Akira knew he wouldn't stand a chance against an angry Bon in his weakened state.

Despite that fact, he could feel his former opponent gathering his ki to fight back that moment it looked like Bon would carry out his threat. Loyalty to his giant friend tempted him to stay out of it and let the two of them settle things between them like men but he also knew that the chances of Bon killing the Elder were quite high and he had already decided to let him live.

Bontenmaru took a threatening step forward while Tokito took a cautious one backwards, hands up and at the ready to do battle and Akira decided it was time to interject.

"It's already been settled Bon. Are you so thick, you can't tell when your opponent had already been beaten?"

That head turned to face him while he repeated dumbfoundedly, "What? Already been beaten?"

He knew that single eye was moving between the two of them and the older man's tone was incredulous as he asked, "Tokito's been whooped already?"

The blind warrior ignored Tokito's grunt of outrage and replied, "Yes."

"By you?"

"Of course," Akira replied arrogantly.

And just like that, the aura of violence vanished and he heard the sound of Bon scratching the back of his head in amazement as he muttered, "Well…don't that just beat all."

Annoyance at the sheer amount of disbelief in his friend's voice had the younger man asking coldly, "Is it that hard to believe?"

Bon knew him well enough to pick up on his irritation and he let out an appropriately loud chuckle as he replied, "Not at all. You worked your balls off to get here boy. I'm so proud of you. Little Akira-Chan's all grown up now."

He followed the teasing words up with a hearty laugh and a loud slap to his massive thigh and Akira felt his face burning before he replied crossly, "Don't be disgusting!"

A tiny snort of derision emanated from the direction of Tokito and he grumbled internally, realizing that he was behaving just like the other man had a few moments ago.

"You're idiots, the whole lot of you," Tokito remarked as he observed the proceedings.

"And you're the one who was defeated by one of those idiots," Bon shot back cheerfully.

"That was just a temporary setback. I'm just waiting to get my second wind before I rid my self of you all."

His giant of a friend let out a derisive snort and said, "Yeah, whatever! You can barely stand, pipsqueak."

The sound of a hand hitting someone's back rang out and Tokito let out a tiny wheeze as he stumbled and fell to the floor once more.

"Look at that! A tiny tap and you go tumbling. All that talk of getting even when you can barely stand. If a hard-nosed brat like Akira is willing to cut you some slack, 'ol Bon can get behind it. No reason to put up a front when what you really need is a helping hand."

Akira could hear the embarrassment in the Elder's voice as he replied angrily, "Don't start acting all buddy-buddy with me all of a sudden, it's freaking weird, idiot. And I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help!"

If anything could get Bontenmaru to do the exact opposite of what you asked, it was to reject the help he so "graciously" offered. It only made him try even harder and thus, he wasn't surprised when Bon replied cheerfully, "Aww, don't be like that. If you can't move on your own, we'll just have to take you along the old-fashioned way."

There was a loud rustle of clothing and then he heard the sounds of a struggle as the unwilling recipient of Bon's tender-loving care flailed about and yelled, "Put me down, you inbred jackass! It's going to tear!"

Akira noticed the very real panic in his voice at the same moment a loud tearing sound filled the room. And then Toktio hit the floor once more and Bon was backing away from him as if he'd been burned.

"What in the world?!" that was Benitora.

"I'm not sure what to say…," this was Shinrei.

"I always knew it," Hotaru said matter-of-factly.

"One little mountain. Two little mountains," Bon murmured the nonsensical words, but his voice wobbled and alarm shot through Akira. Was there some sort of secret weapon Tokito had on his person?

"Stop acting like a bunch of idiots," he snapped to the rest of the room as he clenched the hilts of his sword and painfully dragged himself to his feet, cursing his inability to move his body without feeling like a stiff breeze would be the end of him.

"Shut up! All of you!" Tokito fussed but his voice trembled as well.

"I'll hold my tongue when I know what's going on. Benitora, explain," Akira ordered him briskly.

"Bon grabbed the back of Tokito's clothes when he was hauling him up and they tore."

"I know that much. I'm blind, not deaf or dumb."

"Yeah, I know but…well…it's Tokito. He's…he's a _she_!"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Can I be the first to say that, even though he's a bit character, I absolutely adore Julian? I love his style and I love how much he adored his wife. The king did him and his family wrong and I look forward to seeing that they get justice by the end.

Next chapter, we see how Tokito reacts to her secret being out and I'm pretty sure Kyo is going to fight Akari. I wonder what else he'll get to see in Hishigi's evil lab? ;-P

Thanks again for taking the time out to read this chapter. Please let me know what you think and if you feel I can improve, constructive criticism is always welcome.


End file.
